This picture of the front of my house, taken just a couple of days ago, shows Fall in all its colorful glory. Trees are in full-color throughout my neighborhood, about a mile or so from the Pacific ocean. Yes, Virginia, there are seasons in Southern California.
These vivid, warm, bright colors are the inspiration for a little salad that represents the seasons best fruits and veggies and some of my favorite flavors, with a couple of extra seasonal twists. A perfect dish to bring to a post-post Thanksgiving gathering at cousin Sherri's on Saturday, or maybe to somewhere you're going this weekend to celebrate Persimmon Month.
Take a look around you - there are colors and flavors everywhere to inspire your own culinary creativity.
Fall Harvest Salad
1 cup cubed Korean pears
1 cup cubed Fuyu persimmons
1 cup cubed, steamed, peeled Baby Beets
1 cup cubed red cabbage
1 cup cubed green cabbage
1/3 cup diced scallions
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup toasted pepitas
dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sparkling apple cider
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
S&P
1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
2. Mix all the fruits and veggies together.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
4. Sprinkle the gorgonzola and pepitas on the salad, lightly toss again, and serve.
If you'd like more info on the season's best produce visit
www.melissas.com.
This picture of the front of my house, taken just a couple of days ago, shows Fall in all its colorful glory. Trees are in full-color throughout my neighborhood, about a mile or so from the Pacific ocean. Yes, Virginia, there are seasons in Southern California.
These vivid, warm, bright colors are the inspiration for a little salad that represents the seasons best fruits and veggies and some of my favorite flavors, with a couple of extra seasonal twists. A perfect dish to bring to a post-post Thanksgiving gathering at cousin Sherri's on Saturday, or maybe to somewhere you're going this weekend to celebrate Persimmon Month.
Take a look around you - there are colors and flavors everywhere to inspire your own culinary creativity.
Fall Harvest Salad
1 cup cubed Korean pears
1 cup cubed Fuyu persimmons
1 cup cubed, steamed, peeled Baby Beets
1 cup cubed red cabbage
1 cup cubed green cabbage
1/3 cup diced scallions
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup toasted pepitas
dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sparkling apple cider
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
S&P
1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
2. Mix all the fruits and veggies together.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
4. Sprinkle the gorgonzola and pepitas on the salad, lightly toss again, and serve.
If you'd like more info on the season's best produce visit
www.melissas.com.
Oops - forgot to list the cubed avocado. Good without it but of course way better with it. Avocado makes everything better, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteNancy, I love the tree in your yard -- is it a Liquid Amber? They are so red this year! Excited it's National Persimmon month! Love the salad!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo of the tree! Yes, we do have seasons, and that's why our salads look different every month. (People who shop without looking at the produce available don't realize that.)
ReplyDeleteYour salad is gorgeous and sounds wonderful! Great idea for the dressing too. I agree, avocado makes everything better!
So is Persimmon Month November or December?
Also, do you know of a market where pepitas are available for a reasonable price?
Yes Valentina, it's a liquid amber tree. I just found out the name recently - thought it was some kind of maple/oak hybrid. Beautiful color for sure, and the leaves are the extra crunchy kind on a walk. Thanks for your comment!
ReplyDeleteFaye, according to what I've read November is National Persimmon Month. As far as I'm concerned, as long as they're available we should celebrate every month. The only pepitas I use are from Melissa's under the Don Enrique label. Thanks so much for commenting on the post.
ReplyDeleteI agree about celebrating persimmons! In honor of your salad we bought lots and lots of Fuyu persimmons at Valley Produce today. I have beets and avocados too and even sparkling cider, so a Nancy-inspired persimmon salad might be in our future, although I have to admit that we love the sweetness of persimmons so much that I'm not sure we'll want them in a savory combination. But we should all expand our horizons, right?
ReplyDeleteI also thought of you when I was choosing sweet potatoes--mostly white ones at a fantastic price. I look forward to a post on these someday.
I discovered persimmons last year and absolutely love them. I keep thinking about tossing them in a salad, but they never quite last long enough without becoming snacks. This one looks intriguing, though!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, avocado does make everything better.
Stacy, I agree Fuyu persimmons are most delicious au naturale. But they're also delicious diced in a breakfast parfait, dusted with confectioners' sugar and dried in a 200 degree oven, or my new favorite thing, tempura fruit - please see previous post.
ReplyDelete