Persimmon Chutney

Every year, I eagerly await the time when the persimmons ripen in our little town of Santa Cruz. They are a sure sign that fall has arrived. I don’t have a tree myself, but friends and locals are willing to share their bounty. Hachiya persimmons are the ones I get most of the time. They are teardrop-shaped and have to soften before you can use them. Fuyu persimmons are the flat-looking ones that are great sliced in salads and other dishes. Persimmon trees can grow up to 70 feet tall, and one of these wonderful trees grows in my girlfriend’s son’s garden.

I have been cooking and baking with persimmons for years. Read more about persimmons and the recipe for my persimmon bread on a previous post (click here).

Each year, I can't wait to make this chutney. The recipe comes from a twenty-year-old local newspaper clipping. The chutney is great with a variety of different foods. This year, I am going to make it part of my Christmas cheese board. It is also great with fish, on duck breasts, or with any food you can think of. In the photo above, I am serving it with my muffin quiches without a crust . These quiches make a healthy snack. (click here to get the recipe)

My chutney is rather mild and not overly sweet. The fresh ginger gives it a great flavor. Since I am hosting our book club next week, I am giving each member a jar of my chutney and persimmon bread as a gift.

I have also made this persimmon chutney with apples or pears using lemon or lime juice. Personally, I prefer lime juice. The jury is out on whether to use apples or pears, so it is really a matter of your taste. The pears should be firm. For my last batch, I used golden delicious apples. Instead of dried cranberries, you can substitute dried blueberries. The chutney develops its full flavor after a couple of days in the fridge.

Print Recipe

 Ingredients:

Makes about 4 cups of chutney

4-5 Hayicha persimmons  (enough for 2 cups of blended pulp)
4-5 limes (enough to make ½ cup juice)
​3 smallish apples of your choice (about 2 scant cups)
1 red pepper (about 1 cup chopped)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup dried cranberries 
1 small jalapeño pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
1 ½ TBS lime zest
3 inches fresh ginger 
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
a splash of white balsamic vinegar

Directions:
​
To prepare the persimmons, slice off the top, peel and squeeze them into a food processor or blender removing the black seeds. Blend them with some lemon juice and then put them in a container with a lid. This can be done ahead of time and will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. 

Grate the limes to get 1½ TBS of zest, then squeeze the limes to get ½ cup of juice. 

Peel the ginger and chop it into small pieces, the smaller the better. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into ½-inch diced pieces. Core and seed the bell pepper, and cut it into ½-inch sized pieces. Cut the jalapeño in half, take the seeds out and chop finely. A word of caution: don’t touch your face while doing this.

Combine the lime juice, zest, ginger, and sugar in a medium- sized pot and bring it to a boil. Add the raisins, cranberries, peppers and jalapeños and simmer for 3-4 minutes, adding the apples. Continue to cook for another three minutes or until the apples start to soften, but are not mushy. Add the persimmon pulp and bring it to a boil and simmer for another couple of minutes. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a splash of white balsamic vinegar. 

​Put into jars with a lid and refrigerate. 

Guten Appetit!
recipe by © Sunnycovechef