Thanksgiving recipe: Persimmon salad

If you’re planning on a rich multi-course feast for the holidays (and why shouldn’t you be?), it’s probably a good idea to start it off with something light, crisp and fairly simple. This salad, from Times Food editor Russ Parsons, made with Fuyu persimmons, is just the thing. The recipe is demonstrated in the video at left by Russ Parsons.

Persimmon salad is one of the favorite holiday recipes we’ve collected in our “Los Angeles Times Holiday Handbook.” The book shares more than 110 seasonal recipes to help you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s. We’ve also updated last year’s “Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookies,” so it now includes 65 recipes from a wide range of sources, including world-famous pastry chefs and home cooks.

Each book is $4.99, and they are available at the Los Angeles Times bookstore for Kindle, Nook and iBooks.

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Fuyu persimmon salad with cumin-lime vinaigrette

Total time: 40 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Note: Fuyus are the small, crisp persimmons.

2 pounds Fuyu persimmons

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 serrano chile, seeded and minced

Salt

1 tablespoon walnut oil

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (about ¼ pomegranate)

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. Cut off the tough green calyxes and slice each persimmon in 10 to 12 wedges.

2. In a small, lidded jar, combine the lime juice, cumin, about half of the chile, a dash of salt and the walnut oil. Tightly cover and shake hard to mix well. Taste the dressing on a small piece of persimmon. There should be just enough chile to add a suggestion of heat. If you’d like it hotter, add more and shake again.

3. Combine the persimmons and the dressing in a work bowl and toss to coat well. Turn the salad out into a decorative bowl and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds, walnuts and cilantro. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary.

Each of 8 servings: 185 calories; 39 mg. sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 0 saturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.30 gram fiber.