Persimmons Harvest Salad

November floods me with joyous Thanksgiving memories spent with friends and family. This festive fall salad will be a perfect colorful addition to your Thanksgiving table. 

This salad features Fuyu persimmons, which are rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants.  In San Diego, persimmons are in season in late fall through the early winter. You can find them at farmers markets and local grocery stores. Look for firm, heavy, bright orange fruit. You can store them at room temperature for about three days.

This recipe includes persimmons, radicchio, frisee, pomegranate seeds, and maple candied walnuts. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

½ C walnuts

3 T pure maple syrup

½ tsp salt

1 shallot, finely sliced

3 T champagne vinegar

5 T avocado oil

3 Fuyu persimmons, peeled, cored, and diced

1 head of frisee, leaves cleaned, dried, and separated

1 head of radicchio, leaves cleaned, dried, and separated

1 C pomegranate seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Roast the walnuts for 10 minutes on a baking sheet. Add the walnuts, maple syrup, and salt to a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until syrup is thick and caramelized (about three minutes). Let the maple glazed walnuts cool on parchment paper. Separate the cool candied walnuts on a clean sheet of parchment paper.

Add shallots to champagne vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes. Slowly whisk in avocado oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the radicchio and frisee with the vinaigrette. Top the salad greens with persimmons, pomegranate seeds, and maple glazed walnuts. 

Notes:

You may substitute sherry vinegar for champagne vinegar for a more forward vinegar taste. You may also substitute walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil for the avocado oil. Pecans are delightful as a candied nut.