Known to the ancient Greeks as “the fruit of the gods,” I am mildly ashamed to admit I’d never tried one.

The farmer introduced me to two varieties: “Fuyu” and “Hachiya” Persimmons. I opted for the “Fuyu” variant, which is often compared to an apple, best eaten while still firm (alternatively, the Hachiya should be consumed once it is soft). She further explained that a ‘pliable’ bloom (i.e. not brittle or hard) is a good indicator for a fresh Fuyu Persimmon, ready for consumption; she demonstrated with her thumb… something you can do at the Market or in the Produce aisle.

I cut the Persimmon as I would a snack-apple, starting by cutting out the bloom. After cutting the Persimmon into little wedges, I opted to remove the (edible) core, as I would an apple. There are no seeds, but it just had to go!

So what does it taste like? At first, it tastes like a very mild Apple. But the after-taste yields a wonderful sweetness of honey! If you are a fan of the “Honey Crisp” variety of Apples, but don’t mind something more mild, you’ll love these.

Note: Refrigerated, the little wedges are absolutely dynamite!

I am now a big fan of the yummy Persimmon, and I think you will be, too.

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Look for a pliable bloom, ensuring freshness.

Yum!

In response to our inquiry, the stall attendant stated, “Jujube. Is Chinese Apple,” adding that we should select brown ones, as opposed to green ones, and that hard is preferable to soft fruit.

According to Wikipedia’s article, the fruit (not to be confused with the candy of the same name) is:

“…an edible oval drupe 1.5-3 cm long; when immature it is smooth-green, with the consistency and taste of an apple, maturing dark red to purplish-black and eventually wrinkled, looking like a small date.”

So we bought two from the nice lady at the Studio City Farmer’s Market. Allowing them to further ripen, we finally ate them tonight.

We both found them peculiar. Not unpleasant, but dry and airy. Perhaps they are better compared to DRIED apple rings. The truth is, we ended up having only a few bites each, giving the remainders to our Labradors (NB: Dogs like ‘em!).

I think Jujube is an interesting fruit, but I have no idea what I could do with them insofar as cooking (beyond simply eating them). At $3.00/lb., however, it’s safe to say I doubt I’ll be buying the Jujube fruit any time soon. But hey: I’ll try anything once.

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Jujube stand at the Studio City (CA) Farmer's Market.

The original recipe, designed to yield 6 servings, calls for roasting the Red Pepper and toasting the Walnuts separately, using a traditional stove-top. I used my outdoor, propane gas grill to cook both ingredients at the same time.

The original recipe also calls for “Granulated Garlic,” but I prefer to use Fresh Garlic in any recipe calling for kick-ass Garlic flavor. Finally, I cut the original recipe in half, since I’m cooking for just two.

FROM THE AUTHOR:

“This composed salad is perfect for a fancy dinner, stunning in both visual appeal and flavor. The seasonings suggest Tex-Mex cuisine, so pair this with fajitas or quesadillas as a main course.“

I totally agree. But, as mentioned above, I did make some changes to the recipe as originally published. That said, here’s my modified recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Small Red Bell Pepper
• ¼ small Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 3 Cups Baby Spinach Leaves, loosely packed
• ¼ Cup raw unsalted Walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed Lime juice
• Pinch (⅛) tsp granulated Garlic (or approx. ½ clove Fresh Garlic)
• Pinch (⅛) tsp Chili Powder
• Pinch (⅛) tsp Salt
• 1 Tbs Orange juice
• ½ Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
• ½ Tsp Olive Oil
• 3 tsp fresh Cilantro, minced
• Ground Black Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Start by cleaning and drying the Spinach. All Vegetables and Herbs should be well-cleaned to remove all dirt.

Preheat the grill to high. Place the Bell Pepper directly on the grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning frequently. Cook until the skin is charred black. Transfer the pepper to a plastic or papge bag, close the bag, and set aside for 15 minutes. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin and discard the seeds, stem and white membrane. Slice the pepper into thin (1-inch) strips, and set them aside.

If using an outdoor gas grill, place Walnuts on a cookie sheet and toast simultaneous to the Pepper. If using an indoor stove, do the following instead: Heat a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat on the stove-top and toast the Walnuts for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently until the Walnuts are golden brown.

Once toasted, place the Walnuts in a small bowl and toss with the Lime juice while they are still warm.

Sprinkle on the Garlic, Chili Powder, and ⅛ tsp of Salt. Toss to distribute evenly and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the Orange juice, Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil, and the remaining ⅛ tsp of Salt.

Toss together the Spinach, Onion and Orange juice mixture. Distribute evenly among 2 chilled plates or bowls. Top the Spinach with the Bell Pepper strips and sprinkle with the Spiced Nuts. Grind a little Black Pepper on each one, and sprinkle evenly with the Cilantro. Serve Immediately.

SERVES 3

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SUMMARY & REVIEW

Despite the seemingly mediocre ‘Overall Score’ I grant the recipe, this salad is incredible… easy to create (not to mention super fun to present to any loved one not expecting such culinary brilliance!). Please note that the overall score is the average of several challenging criteria, so the final score isn’t always as flattering as it probably should be. As a Kitchen Novice, for example, I am dealing with a learning curve… which adversely affects my overall rating.

On a different side note, I was determined to use the entire Cilantro bunch I bought for this particular dish, so I also created a Tomato-Cilantro Salsa and a Tex-Mex Quesadilla with the leftovers (both of which I will post here); the last photo, above, depicts all three dishes.

Back to my summary review: Food prep for the salad, alone, is a breeze (presuming you have all the ingredients; I did not have Chili Powder so I pestled some Red Chili Pepper flakes into powder). All told, about 10 minutes. The time-suck, really, is the Roastin’ N’ Toastin’, but you can use that time to prep the other ingredients. Besides, a salad this tasty is worth the effort.

I will devalue the recipe’s “Simplicity” rating as a result of the Roastin’ N’ Toastin’, which can be tricky for Kitchen Novices like myself. Once you’ve done each activity, though, it will be simple and quick.

The only real problem with this recipe — true of nearly all salads — is that the food does NOT keep. Chelsea was unable to eat the leftovers the following day… and I have to agree; wilted spinach is not appealing. Thus, I will devalue the recipe’s “Flexibility” rating (a new category!). I advise you consume all you prepare, immediately.

A REASON TO RATE!

Prep Time: 8.0
Simplicity: 7.0
Taste: 10
Flexibility: 5.0

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Overall Score: 7.90

(1=Poor; 10=Excellent)

I had never heard of a “Cassoulet,” so I looked it up: A white-bean stew of French origin, often containing pork, mutton, garlic sausage, and preserved goose or duck.

So this is a Vegetarian (Vegan, in fact) version of a traditional French Meat Stew.

I’m going to strictly prepare Lysa’s version, which is as follows:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Medium Onion, diced (white or yellow)
• 1 Tbs. of Garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. Herbes de Provence (Substitute Thyme, if necessary)
• 8 oz. T.V.P. (Textured Veg Protein) Lysa sez, “This is like vegan ground beef – you can also use ground beef but obviously that makes it much less healthy”).
• 15 oz. can of Cannelini Beans
• ½ cup Tomato Sauce
• Smoked Paprika, Salt and Pepper to taste (Lysa sez, “MUST stress that the Hungarian or Smoked Paprika is key – do NOT use regular Paprika. You can usually find the Smoked kind pretty easily in the spice aisle.”)

DIRECTIONS

In a saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tbs. olive oil and the diced onion. cook until translucent and just starting to show some color, 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic and herbes de provence and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a plate.

Add 1 tbs. of olive oil and add the TVP (follow directions on the TVP to make it separately beforehand) and saute, scraping the pan occasionally until starting to show signs of carmelization, 4-6 minutes.

Add the onion and garlic back to the pan along with the cannellini beans (and their liquid), tomato sauce and smoked paprika (to taste). Stir to combine, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so it won’t stick to the bottom as it will get quite thick near the end of cooking. Check for seasoning as the beans will probably need some salt at this point.

I had to go out to get some of the ingredients before I could start (Herbes de Provence, Smoked Paprika and T.V.P.), since my kitchen is a bit anemic right now. I was unable to find the dry-goods T.V.P. at my local store, so I used Yves… If You Please! brand “Meatless Ground,” which is an acceptable substitute. If you are a carnivore, you might simply use Ground Beef.

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SUMMARY & REVIEW

I absolutely love this dish. While my “serving suggestion” (pictured, above right) is that of an appetizer — a small portion of Cassoulet served with Tostitos® “SCOOPS” chips, this is clearly a MAIN COURSE. I presented the finished dish to my paramour (Chelsea), who exclaimed, “You could make yummy tacos or nachos with this,” adding, “I really expected a spicy dish, but I like that it’s not actually spicy!”

I am most impressed with the versatility of the dish. It’s super-healthy, and if I can’t finish it, I know I could easily throw it in the fridge for several days.  My only “problem” (for lack of a better word) with the recipe is the ingredients… but that’s only because I am such a novice. I had to go to the store to get five of the seven ingredients: 1) Herbs de Provence; 2) Smoked Paprika; 3) T.V.P.;  4) Canellini Beans and; 5) Tomato Sauce.

I really shouldn’t punish this amazing recipe as a result of my anemic pantry, but that’s how it goes. I must say: Even if you have to go to the store to fulfill this food fantasy, you really should; Every ingredient in this recipe is something you will use over and over again. Furthermore, you won’t be disappointed.

Preparation was fast and easy. I spent just 9 minutes prepping the ingredients, and 18 minutes actually cooking (not including the requisite 10 minutes of simmering).

A REASON TO RATE!

Prep Time: 8.5
Simplicity: 9.5
Ingredients: 7.5
Taste: 9.5
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Average Score: 8.75

(1=Poor; 10=Excellent)