Persimmons! What can I do with a bushel of 'em?

[Thyme Mama]

well, i don't know if i have an actual bushel, but i have a 5 gallon bucket of them! the gardener who gave them to our family said they are the type that love a good freeze. she said they are unripe as of now, but if i put them in the freezer, i can use them straight out of it in a few days. we love fresh persimmons, but she said they should be put in the freezer, and i don't have much freezer space right now. what should i do with them? recipes? i am at a total loss here!

[Erinz]

I would let some ripen naturally -- have you ever tried the Joy of Cooking recipe for persimmon pudding? It is INSANE! You can google it to find postings on blogs of it. A friend gave me a tip to double the spices and I've done it ever since. Yummmmm. With fresh whipped cream. Oh my.

I also do a baked chicken dish with persimmon wedges by wedging them inbetween pieces of a whole cut-up chicken (with bones) over a bed of slivered onions, pouring some cream and sherry over the whole thing, cover, and cook slowwwww at 300 or so. It's amazing.

Persimmon preserves, in smoothies, softly cooked and cooled then whipped into cream over gingerbread.... oh my.

[FarmerCathy]

MMmmmm.... I persimmons.  I have used them in a pumpkin choc. cookie recipe.  It was delish.  Just use the persimmon instead of the pumpkin.

[Thyme Mama]

Originally Posted by Erinz 

I would let some ripen naturally -- have you ever tried the Joy of Cooking recipe for persimmon pudding? It is INSANE! You can google it to find postings on blogs of it. A friend gave me a tip to double the spices and I've done it ever since. Yummmmm. With fresh whipped cream. Oh my.

I also do a baked chicken dish with persimmon wedges by wedging them inbetween pieces of a whole cut-up chicken (with bones) over a bed of slivered onions, pouring some cream and sherry over the whole thing, cover, and cook slowwwww at 300 or so. It's amazing.

Persimmon preserves, in smoothies, softly cooked and cooled then whipped into cream over gingerbread.... oh my.

ooooooh! all those recipes sound divine! i have the joy of cooking cookbook, so i will definitely be making some pudding! i'll pick up a chicken this weekend and make that baked chicken dish too. wow, that one sounds especially yummy!

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy 

MMmmmm.... I persimmons.  I have used them in a pumpkin choc. cookie recipe.  It was delish.  Just use the persimmon instead of the pumpkin.

great idea! how do you modify a regular choc. cookie recipe to add in the persimmon? and do you use it minced or mashed?
 

thanks ladies!

[eastmillcreekmama]

I love that Joy of Cooking persimmon pudding too, and you can also slice and dry them in a dehydrator and use as dried fruit.  mmmmm, enjoy

[cocoanib]

A yummy salad I love is persimmon, english cucumber and oranges with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

So simple and so very delicious.

[imogenlily]

I like persimmon and pomegranate salad with a bit of honey and a squeeze of lime juice.

[cristeen]

Time to differentiate. From the description, sounds like you have hachiyas, which are not ripe until they are liquid soft. Eaten before then they are astringent and unpleasant. They are only suitable for recipes using purees. Persimmon butter (think apple butter), steamed persimmon pudding are the 2 main things i use them for. You can also peel them, pass the pulp through a seive and freeze in portions for later use. The Hachiya is almost heart shaped w a pointed bottom. And without freezing, it really wont ripen.

There is another breed, the fuyu, which is hard like an apple (shaped like a squat apple, too). That one is suitable for dehydrating, salads, etc., where you need slices or chunks. When it softens, it can also be used for puree.