Winter Greek salad with persimmons
This recipe is a modified version of Molly Baz’s Winter Greek Salad from Cook This Book cookbook.
Persimmon is a fruit that I grew up with. In Azerbaijan, this is a fruit you find growing all around the country, and people primarily use it either fresh or for making jams from it. It comes in two varieties softer version refer to as xurma (Hachiya) and the tougher more apple-like version referred to as korolek (Fuyu). As it turns out Azerbaijan is the 4th largest producer of persimmons after China, South Koren, and Japan. Who would have known? But before I sidetrack myself too far with the history of persimmons, the reason why I am sharing this salad recipe with you is that I simply love persimmons.
I think this salad recipe introduces a pretty genius way to use persimmons beyond incorporating it within the sweet jams and desserts. Originally I found this recipe in the “Cook This Book” cookbook and made a few changes. I hope you enjoy this beautiful winter version of a beloved Greek salad spin-off.
Ingredients
Serves 2-3
2 small shallots
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sumac
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 big English Cucumber (or 2-3 small)
2 persimmons (Fuyu also known as korolek)
10 green olives
150 grams feta
a few fresh mint leaves
Olive oil
Sea salt
Method
Thinly slice the shallots. Add them to a small bowl.
Grate the clove of garlic into the same bowl.
Add 1/2 tsp of sumac and 1/2 tsp of salt to the bowl. Pour the juice of half a lemon and mix all the ingredients with your hands. Leave it aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Coarsely chop your cucumber and persimmons. Add them to a big salad bowl.
Take out the olive pits and add slice the olives into chunks.
Chop the mint and add to your cucumbers, persimmons, and mint.
Toss in the shallots to the salad bowl, add feta chunks (you can cut them in cubes or tear with your hands).
Finish off with a good amount of olive oil and sea salt to taste.
Toss gently and serve immediately.
