Persimmons are all around us! This delicious persimmons and prosciutto salad is a seasonal version of one of my favorite combos – salty prosciutto and fresh fruit. Delicately sweet, with silky texture, juicy flesh and the prettiest slice pattern, persimmons literally shine here. Thinly sliced, they rest in salad greens together with strips of aged prosciutto and toasted almonds. A sweet and tangy dressing of lemon, honey and Dijon mustard rounds up the flavours.
The Flavour Affair:
Persimmons + Prosciutto + Lemon + Honey + Mustard + Toasted Almonds
This is a perfect salad plate because it has a combination has every major flavour component – sweet, salty, sour with a little acidity, pungency and bitterness.
Persimmons: there are two types of persimmons. The first type is astringent Hachiya which need to become extremely ripe in order to become edible. The second type is non-astringent, sweet persimmon like Fuyu or Spanish which can be eaten with skin on even when not completely ripe. This is the type I use in this recipe.
Prosciutto: I like using aged prosciutto with has a more intense taste. Slice it very thinly so that its powerful flavour does not overwhelm.
Lemon: adds a bright contrast with sourness and acidity.
Honey: accentuates the sweetness and brings in aromatic floral notes.
Mustard: balances the sweetness with a little pungency.
Toasted almonds: not only they enhance the flavour profile with a hint of smokiness, they also add a satisfying crunch.
Salad greens: add substance to the salad as well as contribute with a subtle bitterness.
How to make persimmons and prosciutto salad:
This beautiful plate takes mere 15 minutes to prepare and assemble. Wash your salad greens thoroughly and pat to dry. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and thinly slice the persimmon. Toast the almonds over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until they turn golden. Toss salad greens with 2/3 of the dressing and lay on a serving plate. Arrange persimmon and prosciutto slices on top, scatter the almonds and sprinkle over the remaining dressing. Finish off with a couple of grinds of black pepper mill.
This vibrant plate will make a fantastic menu addition for a festive occasion!
Persimmons and Prosciutto Salad
Equipment
- 1 pan for roasting almonds
- 1 serving dish
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pack mixed salad greens
- 1 Spanish persimmon thinly sliced
- 12-15 slices of prosciutto very thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp toasted almonds
For the dressing:
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp raw honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the salad greens and pat them dry.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the ingredients. Taste and adjust for salt, sweetness or acidity.
- Heat a small pan to medium. Toast almond for 3-4 minutes until the start turning golden brown.
- Toss the salad greens with 2/3 of the dressing.
- Arrange the greens on a serving plate. Top with slices of persimmon and prosciutto, scatter over the almonds and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Notes
- The above quantities are good for 4 people as a small starter.
- Use very thinly sliced prosciutto in this recipe so that its intense taste does not overwhelm.
