A salad of unusual qualities, this vividly colorful combo celebrates the exotic autumn fruits of persimmon and pomegranate. The fusion of tastes is awesome: peppery watercress, sweet-spicy persimmon, tart pomegranate seeds, and salty cheese, all held together by a tangy vinaigrette. Leftover pomegranate vinaigrette will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to one week and goes great with grilled meats.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 as a main dish or 6 as a starter

　　1 bunch watercress, stems trimmed (about 4 cups lightly packed)

　　2 medium heads frisée (about 8 cups lightly packed)

　　2 ripe Fuyu persimmons (see Note), peeled and thinly sliced

　　1 shallot, minced

　　1/4 cup Pomegranate Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

　　1/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata, homemade (page 237) or store-bought

　　1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

　　

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

2 cups pomegranate juice

　　1/4 cup champagne vinegar

　　1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/4 cup canola oil

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　(makes about 1 cup)

　　

Step 1

In a mixing bowl, combine the watercress, frisée, persimmons, and shallot. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, tossing with your hands to dress the salad lightly and evenly. Divide the salad equally among chilled plates. Top with the ricotta and pomegranate seeds.

　　

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Step 2

Pour the pomegranate juice into a small pot and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the juice has reduced to 1/4 cup and is thick and syrupy, roughly 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

　　

Step 3

In a small mixing bowl or mason jar, combine the cooled pomegranate syrup, champagne and balsamic vinegars, and olive and canola oils; season lightly with salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to blend and dissolve the salt.

　　

Ingredient note

Step 4

Persimmons

　　

Step 5

Persimmons are one of those fall fruits people often don’t know what to do with. It’s important to understand there are two kinds of persimmons: Fuyu (the kind you can eat right away), which is small and somewhat squat, and Hachiya (Japanese), which is shaped sort of like an acorn. Beware; if Hachiya persimmons are not completely ripe, they make your tongue do funny things! For this recipe I use Fuyu, which you can eat when firm, are crisp and sweet like an apple, and are really easy to work with. The shiny, pumpkin-colored fruit ranges from pale golden-orange to rich reddish-orange. Generally, the darker the color, the sweeter the taste.

　　Michael's Genuine Food