The sight in late fall of gorgeous persimmons is enough to send me aflutter – I simply adore them. Eaten raw as a snack, tossed in a salad or paired with cheese, I sneak them into my diet as much as I can during their short season, keeping a large case in plain view on my kitchen counter for immediate reward.
Persimmons can also be cooked and turned into jams, tarts and cakes with wonderful results. But have you ever tried them in a savory recipe? Their fragrance and sweetness is a perfect complement to roasted pork. Swap your usual apples with these beautiful orange fruits in this super easy recipe I found in my Martha Stewart Living magazine. It’ll add a splash of exoticism and stunning fall flavors to your traditional pork roast.
One of the best things about this recipe is how hands-off it is. With less than 15 minutes prep time, it’s really a ‘throw it together and cook’ situation. You simply cut your persimmons (just ripe Fuyu persimmons are the best here) in segments, toss them with oil and garlic, and scatter them around your seasoned pork loin in a cast iron pan. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, turning the persimmons halfway and…voilà!
When the roast is ready and resting, briefly sauté some mustard greens in the same pan until tender (about 2 minutes) and start assembling your very eye-pleasing serving dish. A quick reduction of Marsala wine (always in the same pan) makes for a quick and delish sauce to drizzle over it all.
So simple, so pleasing to look at and absolutely delicious. The caramelized persimmons add the right amount of sweetness to the savory pork and slightly bitter greens. This would be a perfect centerpiece for a small gathering and I’d even venture a possible turkey replacement for Thanksgiving with our COVID crowd limitations?
Either way, if you do see persimmons at your grocery store, don’t hesitate and grab them. This is a fall and winter dinner you’ll come back to again and again. It’ll make you fall in love with these Japanese beauties if you hadn’t succumbed to their irresistible taste before.
| Cook Time: | 45 min |
| Prep Time: | 15 min |
| Total Time: | 60 min |
| Yield: | 6 |
2. Toss persimmons and garlic with oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter around pork. Roast 15 minutes. Turn over persimmons, and continue to roast until pork reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes (pork will continue to cook as it cools). Meanwhile, if persimmons are still firm, roast until fork-tender.
3. Transfer persimmons to a serving platter. Add mustard greens to pan. Season with salt, and saute over medium heat until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer greens to platter. Add wine to pan, and cook until reduced by two-thirds. Thinly slice pork, and arrange on top of the persimmons and greens. Spoon sauce over top, and serve.
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound persimmons, tops trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch (14 ounces) mustard greens, large stems removed
1/2 cup Marsala wine
