Easy and crunchy persimmon and celery salad
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I’ve been experimenting with persimmons in salads for several winters now due to proximity to a neighbor’s abundant tree. A few years ago, I came across a winter salad at the restaurant Jon & Vinny’s that involved persimmons and was so delicious, I went home and made a version of it myself. The result is this recipe. If you’re like me and usually offer the least ambitious Thanksgiving dish but still desire to leave an impression, this bright, refreshing side salad is your trick. Easy yet memorable, my crunchy winter salad serves as a crisp bite between all the saucy heartiness of traditional Thanksgiving. Use firmer rather than ripe persimmons here. You can skip the almonds if desired or make it fully vegan by dropping the Parmesan.
Note: My approach to slicing the persimmons and apples is to go for long strips or batons. But for an even more beautiful salad, you may want to follow deputy food editor Betty Hallock’s suggestion and cut the fruit into half-moons to highlight their natural forms. And for larger crowds, this recipe is easily doubled.
Toss together the sliced persimmons, apple and celery in a large bowl.
Crush the almonds roughly using a mortar and pestle or molcajete (or roughly chop), and add to the bowl.
Add the mint, olive oil, lemon juice and zest and ground black pepper, then toss to coat fruit with the oil and seasoning. Taste and add salt as desired. Add the shaved Parmesan. Toss gently and serve immediately or chill for up to 3 hours until serving.
