Persimmon Cake
Persimmon Cake
This homey, warm spice cake is fragrant with nutmeg, ginger and ripe persimmon.
Ingredients:
1 cup persimmon purée*
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon each of nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves and cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
*To make persimmon purée, make sure to use only very ripe persimmons (they are the texture of an overripe tomato; dark spots are okay). Peel the skin off the persimmons, remove any seeds, and purée in a food processor or blender.
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together persimmon purée, sugar, and vegetable oil until uniform. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and apple juice. Gradually add the baking powder, spices, and salt. Fold in the flour until just incorporated.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar
Persimmon Cake
This homey, warm spice cake is fragrant with nutmeg, ginger and ripe persimmon.
Ingredients:
1 cup persimmon purée*
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon each of nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves and cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
*To make persimmon purée, make sure to use only very ripe persimmons (they are the texture of an overripe tomato; dark spots are okay). Peel the skin off the persimmons, remove any seeds, and purée in a food processor or blender.
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together persimmon purée, sugar, and vegetable oil until uniform. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and apple juice. Gradually add the baking powder, spices, and salt. Fold in the flour until just incorporated.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
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Marinated Persian Cucumber Salad
Super simple and healthy, this salad is perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
2 Persian cucumbers
1 red onion
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Peel the cucumbers and then half lengthwise before thinly slicing. Then, peel and thinly slice the onion and place in a bowl with the cucumber.
2. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and oil in a bowl and whisk together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber and onion mixture and toss well to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1-2 hours before serving cold or at room temperature.
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Sicilian-Style Citrus Salad
This traditional Italian favorite is filled with juicy oranges, briny olives, fresh parsley and the nutty crunch of pistachios. It’s vibrant, simple, and fresh.
Ingredients:
½ red onion, minced or thinly sliced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
6 winter oranges, a mix of what looks good (Cara Cara, Navel, Blood, Valencia, etc)
1 grapefruit
12 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and finely chopped
⅓ cup pistachios, shelled and chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Method:
1. In a small bowl, combine the onion with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the salad.
2. Using a sharp knife (serrated works great here), peel all of the citrus. First, cut off a thin piece from the top and bottom of the orange so it can sit flat on the cutting board. Then, cutting from top to bottom and following the curve of the fruit, remove the peel and white pith. Slice the oranges about ¼” thick, remove seeds and arrange on a platter. For the grapefruit, cut into segments and pile on top of oranges.
3. Drain the onions, reserving 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar, and scatter over the citrus slices along with the olives and pistachios.
4. Whisk together the reserved vinegar and olive oil. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, olive oil, salt and/ or pepper if needed. Drizzle half of the dressing evenly over the salad, garnish with parsley and serve with remaining dressing on the side.
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Cranberry-Herb Compound Butter
This festive, jewel-toned spread is an all-star: Melt it over roasted vegetables, rub it on your turkey to give it a beautifully burnished skin, or slather it onto warm English muffins for an instant holiday upgrade.
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Sunflower Shoot Salad with Fennel, Radishes & Hazelnuts
This stellar salad from Food & Wine is beautifully balanced with peppery greens and radishes and sunflower shoots.
Ingredients:
½ cup hazelnuts
1½ tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon minced shallot
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups peppery greens, like arugula or microgreens
2 cups sunflower shoots
2-3 radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, cored and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast until they are fragrant and the skins blister, about 14 minutes. Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and let cool slightly, then vigorously rub the nuts together to remove the skins. Coarsely chop the nuts.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the Champagne vinegar with the Dijon mustard, honey and minced shallot. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and whisk until blended. Season the vinaigrette with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the arugula, sunflower shoots, radishes, fennel and chopped hazelnuts and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.
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Pink Peppercorn Dressing
This bright, zippy dressing from our friend chef Nicco Muratore is lovely tossed with winter chicories.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, ground
4 sprigs parsley, stems removed and lightly chopped
1 garlic clove
1 orange, zested
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons Dijon or whole grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons tangerine vinegar*
1 cup olive oil
Method:
1. Using an immersion blender, blend all the ingredients except for the olive oil. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create a thickened dressing, blend on medium speed once combined, and taste for salt and acid! The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.
*You can substitute apple cider vinegar, Champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar, as needed.
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Thyme-Roasted Apples & Onions
Fresh thyme adds a savory note to these sweet roasted apples and caramelized onions—delicious on warm crostini or as a savory-sweet side.
Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, peeled and cut into quarters
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 apples, peeled, cored and each cut into 4 wedges
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus additional for sprinkling
Method:
1. Boil cider in a large saucepan until reduced to about ⅓ cup, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Season glaze with 1 teaspoon coarse salt.
2. Preheat to 425°. Butter two large rimmed baking sheets. Toss onions in a large bowl with 2 teaspoons of thyme and 3 tablespoons of glaze. Arrange in a single layer on one sheet. Toss apples in the same bowl with 2 teaspoons of thyme and 3 tablespoons of glaze. Arrange in a single layer on a second sheet. Sprinkle onions and apples with coarse salt and pepper.
3. Roast onions on the upper oven rack for 10 minutes. Place apples on the bottom rack. Roast onions and apples for 20 minutes. Remove both sheets from the oven. Drizzle remaining glaze evenly over onions and apples. Switch position of the sheets, then roast 20 minutes longer.
4. Increase oven temperature to 475°. Roast onions and apples until tender and slightly caramelized, watching closely to prevent burning, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer onions and apples to a large bowl. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.
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Slow-Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
Slow-roasting these beautiful tomatoes concentrates their unique flavor—try these with a drizzle of pesto!
Ingredients:
1 pound heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons ultra-fine sugar
1 tablespoons green peppercorns
Good quality olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Cut off the stem end of the tomato and then slice it into approximately ½-inch slices. When all the tomatoes are sliced, place them on a rimmed sheet pan and brush or drizzle olive oil over each tomato slice.
2. Mix the sugar and the salt together. Sprinkle some of the sugar/salt mixture on each tomato. In a mortar, grind the peppercorns until very crushed but not totally pulverized, then sprinkle over tomatoes.
3. Put the pan of tomatoes into a 175° oven for about 3 hours until caramelized.
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Buttery Braised Leeks
Accented with just a squeeze of lemon, these sublime leeks are a worthy side dish.
Ingredients:
2 leeks, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Melt butter and olive oil over a medium-high flame in a large sauté pan.
2. Once the oil and butter are hot, place the leeks cut side down into the pan. Let the leeks brown in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip the leeks over and turn the heat on low. Cover and let the leeks braise for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the leeks are soft all the way through.
3. Take the leeks off the heat and squirt the lemon juice over the braised leeks and add salt and pepper to taste.
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Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes
These hearty pancakes boast a delightful texture, and are wonderful topped with Maple-Spiced Apples.
Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
¼ cup melted butter
Butter or oil, for greasing the griddle
Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal/polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients; stir just until combined (do not overmix).
2. Heat a lightly greased griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side, about 1–2 minutes more.
3. Serve immediately with butter, maple syrup, or your favorite toppings.
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