If you’re like us, you’re always mixing up your persimmons. A quick refresher course: Of the two basic types, there is the big acorn-shaped hachiya—perfectly sweet when ripened to the point of mush, but as mouth-furringly astringent as a tennis ball when not. And there is the shorter, squatter fuyu, firm when ripe and much less tannic. Conventional wisdom dictates that fuyus are for salads, hachiyas for puréeing and steamed puddings, but either variety works nicely in this recipe from Elizabeth Benno of Eataly’s Le Verdure restaurant.
Elizabeth Benno’s Grilled Persimmon Bruschetta
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese
2 tbs. parsley, chopped
1 nearly ripe hachiya persimmon (or 2 fuyu persimmons)
2 slices rustic white bread, cut 1-inch thick
1 clove garlic, halved
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, combine the cheese, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the parsley, and reserve. (1) Cut off the stem end of the persimmon, and (2) slice the fruit into wedges. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. (3) Place on grill over medium heat and char the slices on both sides. Reserve. Drizzle the bread with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, then grill both sides. Remove from grill, and rub one side of each slice of bread with garlic. Spread goat-cheese mixture over each slice, and top with grilled persimmon.