persimmon + arugula salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette
I will admit, I never had a persimmon until I moved to California and the farmer's market cut up samples to try as you wandered through. Man, was I missing out.
I actually thought I was allergic. The small chunk of persimmon made my mouth dry up instantly and I turned myself off from them; until, I tried it on a salad several weeks ago when they first were in season. And then tried another salad with persimmon. And ate an entire one solo.
I realized I was not allergic just insane.
The bitterness of the arugula showcases the sweet, light flavors of the persimmon. These are the fuyu variety which are round with flat bottoms. When purchasing at the market look for heavy, plump fruits and store on the counter.
The vinaigrette is also very delicate and perfectly tart. You can definitely pair this vinaigrette with other salads while the meyer lemons remain in season from December 'til spring time.
Seriously, you don't want to skimp out on the persimmons this season. Also, did I mention that there is nothing that beats California avocados?
persimmon + arugula salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette
Ingredients:
4-5 ounces baby arugula, or 1 bag / container
2 persimmons, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
for the vinaigrette:
juice of 1 meyer lemon, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 tbsp dijon mustard (or similar)
salt + pepper to taste
Directions:
Assemble all the ingredients of the salad on a platter or mix in a bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients for dressing until emulsified.
When dressing the salad, use only a small amount of the vinaigrette, toss, and repeat until coated to your liking.
Save the dressing in a mason jar or airtight container and store in the fridge.
