PERSIMMON SALSAThis condiment enjoys the well-known affinity between persimmons and walnuts, and spikes their mild flavors with chile, cumin and lime. It’s delicious on a toasted corn tortilla chip, and wonderful with cream cheese or a soft goat cheese on a thin slice of baguette. Or, put a spoonful of this salsa in an endive leaf with a few chunks of Gorgonzola, Stilton, or any blue cheese, for a perfect appetizer. Fuyu persimmons are the ones that are shaped like miniature pumpkins, and can be eaten while they are hard, like apples. Use persimmons that are still firm, but fully ripe; they should give very slightly when you press them. Jalapeños, like all chiles, can vary tremendously in their firepower, and you may want to adjust quantity up or down to your taste. But remember that persimmons are very sweet, and will absorb quite a bit of heat. 1 lb. 10 oz. Fuyu persimmons (8 small persimmons, 4 cups diced) Cut the persimmons by hand into ½ inch dice. Finely chop the jalapeño peppers, discarding the seeds and white ribs. Toast the cumin seed for a couple of minutes in a pan, then grind in a mortar. Toss together all the ingredients, then put the salsa in a food processor and pulse very briefly, a few seconds only, just to give it a finishing touch. You do not want to make a paste of this – it should be rough-textured, with the nuts binding it all together and giving it body. Taste the salsa after the first couple of pulses, adjust for more lime juice or jalapeño as needed, then pulse only until it holds together. Makes about 4 cups salsa. |