There are two kinds of persimmons - those that are good when firm, and others that need to be very mushy in order to taste good.
I prefer the firm ones, the fuyus. They are what I cut up for our bowls of fruit.
At Thanksgiving, I served persimmons in a colorful salad with pomegranate seeds, lime juice and jalapenos. It was pretty and zesty — a lively addition to the festivities.
Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad
1 lime
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 fuyu persimmons
seeds from half a pomegranate
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp oil
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
lettuce
Toss the jalapeno in the lime juice and let stand a couple of minutes. Cut out the stem end of the persimmons, and take a thin slice off the bottom. Quarter and thinly slice the persimmons, and add to the jalapeno. Peel half the pomegranate (see my blog post here for detailed instructions and pictures), and add the seeds to the bowl along with the pumpkin seeds, olive oil and cilantro. Turn well and let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes to 2 hours. Line a platter with lettuce and pile the salad on top.
Serves 4.
