First of all, I have to be honest and tell you that I really wanted to call this post “Ode to Persimmon”. If you can believe it, just a couple weeks ago, I finally tried a persimmon for the first time ever. Yup, to my knowledge, I had never had one until very recently. I haven’t been actively avoiding them, by any means, it just hadn’t happened. I mostly attribute it to growing up in Western New York, where they don’t seem to grow and aren’t as common. On the contrary they seem to be everywhere out here in California.

For me, it was love at first bite. A persimmon is unlike anything I have ever tasted before. I honestly can’t compare their flavor or even their texture to anything else, they are a completely unique and beautiful creation. Their size and look seems more like something of the tomato family than any other fruit. The flesh is soft and creamy, similar to a peach or nectarine, but not as juicy. Something about the sweetness reminds me of dates, but I can’t put my finger on it. The skin of persimmons is edible.

So far, I have enjoyed the persimmons I have been getting in my CSA boxes, raw, sliced or eaten like an apple, in smoothies and in salads. This particular salad has quickly become a favorite of mine. It has the earthy rustic flavor of the beets, with soft sweetness from the persimmons, the creamy, richness of the goat cheese in contrast plus the fresh and bright flavor of the micro-greens (ir a baby green if you so choose instead) and finished with the toasted nuttiness of the tart vinaigrette.

Before we move on to the recipe, let’s just take a moment to appreciate the insanely beautiful colors in this dish. Nature is an amazing thing. These photos don’t adequately show the beautiful dark magenta of the beets, but as you got to cutting into the salad, the plate looked like a work of art.

Oh and of course, this salad would make a perfect addition to any Thanksgiving or holiday feast.

[print_this]Roasted Beet and Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnut Vinaigrette {gluten-free and vegetarian}
serves 2-4

• 3-4 medium beets, scrubbed well, greens cut off
• Terra Delyssa Organic Olive Oil
• 1 ripe but firm Fuyu Persimmon, sliced and then cut in half
• large handful of baby arugula or arugula micro greens
• 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Toast Walnut Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Drizzle the whole beets with olive oil, place into a baking dish and cover with foil (or simply wrap them in foil). Roast until tender, anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour (maybe less time), depending on their size. When done, allow to cool until you can handle them, then peel the off the skin of the beets with your hands and slice into rounds.

While the beets are cooling, prep the vinaigrette by whisking all of the ingredients together. Set aside.

To assemble the salad, line a serving platter with the sliced beets and top with the persimmons and crumbled goat cheese, add a small handful or micro-greens or baby arugula. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Serve immediately. [/print_this]