Every once in a while, I see an ingredient that I’m completely unfamiliar with. I’d like to use this platform to share my intrepid (or sometimes quite trepid..) sampling and, thereafter, cooking attempts with said strange ingredients. This week I noticed these bright orange tomato-looking shapes in the fruit section of the supermarket and decided to give it a go. Sharon fruit, or persimmons, are apparently the fruit of certain species of ebony wood trees. If tasted unripened, can be very tart, apparently, and chalky in texture. Luckily these ones were ripe and sweet. The flavour is similar to maybe a mango and a plum combination, but more dry than juicy. When you cut them in half horizontally, they reveal such a cool starburst shape – nature is a good logo designer.

Because of their plum-ish flavour, I was inspired to pair these up in a salad. Just visually, the pops of red and orange together was too irresistible not to combine.

Effort:  Kardashian-level easy
Expense: A little pricey if out of season
Kitchen fire potential: none, it’s a salad. The only thing to be inflamed should be your passion for persimmons.
Serves: 2

1 persimmon, sliced thinly with a mandolin
1 plum, also sliced thinly
1 small packet of rocket
1 quarter-ish Camembert wheel
handful mixed seeds (like sunflower, sesame, pumpkin)
A bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Layer two plates with the rocket. Scatter the thinly-sliced fruit, chop the Camembert into long strips, then tear them into halves and add to the salad. Sprinkle over the seeds and drizzle with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a bit of oil (make sure its decent olive oil otherwise it can taste too acidic). Grind up some salt and pepper and you’re done!