Gently Roasted Fuyu Persimmon Salade with Warm Chèvre Croûtons & Champagne Vinaigrette
Roasted Fuyu Persimmon Salade
There is a moment in late autumn here in California when the morning air is crisp like Paris, but the afternoon sun still warms your shoulders. That is exactly when Fuyu persimmons appear at the Santa Monica farmers market, glowing like little orange lanterns. My friend Mateo grew these particular ones just down the road, and when I held them, I knew they needed the bistro treatment.
Back in my classical training days, we would have smothered everything in heavy cream and butter-laden reductions. But why hide the honeyed sweetness of a perfectly ripe persimmon? Instead, I gently roast them in brown butter and a sprig of thyme until they just begin to caramelize, then toss them with the bitter snap of crisp chicories.
Crown the whole affair with a bubbling, warm goat cheese croûton and a bright shallot-Champagne vinaigrette, and you have French soul meeting California sunshine on a single plate. My tip? Don't skip the shallots in that dressing—let them macerate in the vinegar for a good ten minutes to take away the raw bite. Serve this with a chilled glass of skin-contact natural wine, and lunch is served, chérie!
Featured Recipe
Gently Roasted Fuyu Persimmon Salade with Warm Chèvre Croûtons & Champagne Vinaigrette
Sweet, honeyed Fuyu persimmons roasted gently in browned butter and thyme balance the bitter snap of crisp chicories. Crowned with bubbling, warm goat cheese croûtons and tossed in a bright shallot-Champagne vinaigrette, this midday bistro salad brings Parisian flair straight into the California sunshine.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 3 Fuyu persimmons(firm-ripe, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter(melted until fragrant and lightly browned)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme(leaves stripped)
- 6 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre log)(sliced into 8 rounds)
- 8 slices baguette(cut 1/2-inch thick on a bias)
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil(divided; rich and fruity preferred)
- 1 medium shallot(very finely minced)
- 2 tbsp Champagne vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard(smooth French style)
- 1 tsp wildflower honey(California raw honey is wonderful here)
- 5 cups mixed bitter chicories (such as Castelfranco, Treviso, or Frisée)(washed, dried thoroughly, and torn into bite-sized leaves)
- 1/3 cup walnuts(toasted and lightly crushed)
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon(leaves picked and roughly chopped)
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt(such as Maldon, to finish)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper(or to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, toss 3 Fuyu persimmons wedges with 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, a pinch of 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.
5 min
Tip: Make sure you use squat, tomato-shaped Fuyu persimmons, not the astringent acorn-shaped Hachiyas! We want them firm-ripe so they caramelize without collapsing into purée.
- 2
Slide the persimmons into the oven and roast gently until they are tender when pierced with a paring knife and the edges turn glossy amber, about 18 minutes.
18 min
Tip: Gentle roasting coaxing out their natural pumpkin-honey sweetness without turning them to mush.
- 3
While the persimmons caramelize, make your vinaigrette: in a small bowl, whisk together 1 medium shallot, 2 tbsp Champagne vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp wildflower honey. Let sit for 5 minutes so the shallots soften, then slowly stream in 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season with a pinch of 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt.
6 min
Tip: Macerating the minced shallots in the vinegar first tames their raw sulfur bite into sweet, delicate tang.
- 4
Arrange 8 slices baguette on a small baking tray. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, then set one round of 6 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre log) atop each slice.
4 min
Tip: Chilling your goat cheese log makes it much easier to slice neatly without crumbling into a mess.
- 5
Pop the chèvre croûtons into the oven alongside the persimmons for the last 6 minutes of roasting, until the baguette is crisp and golden and the cheese is soft, slumped, and just starting to bubble.
6 min
Tip: Watch closely—you want the cheese warm and custardy in the center, not sliding entirely off the bread.
- 6
In a wide salad bowl, combine 5 cups mixed bitter chicories (such as Castelfranco, Treviso, or Frisée), 1/3 cup walnuts, and 2 tbsp fresh tarragon. Drizzle with three-quarters of the prepared Champagne vinaigrette and toss gently with your hands to gloss every leaf.
3 min
Tip: Always use clean hands to toss chicories; tongs tend to crush their lovely crisp structure.
- 7
Divide the dressed chicories across shallow bistro bowls. Scatter the warm, roasted persimmon wedges over the top, perch two warm chèvre croûtons alongside each plate, drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, and finish with a pinch of 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt.
3 min
Tip: Serve immediately while the persimmons and goat cheese are still gently warm from the oven.
Chef's Notes
Every November, my friend Leo brings me flats of crisp Fuyu persimmons from his orchard in the Capay Valley. Salade de chèvre chaud is an absolute rite of passage in every Saint-Germain bistro, but roasting autumn persimmons with brown butter and thyme brings in that glowing California warmth. Pour yourself a glass of chilled, slightly wild Chenin Blanc or a pet-nat, tear into that warm goat cheese, and take a long lunch.
Marguerite Lavigne
French soul, California sun
I grew up in a small village outside Lyon, where my grandmother taught me that the best meals come from respecting your ingredients. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and spending years in Parisian kitchens, I moved to San Francisco and fell in love with California's farmers markets and wine country. Now I cook the food I wish my grandmother could taste—French technique with California abundance, where a perfect roast chicken might come with Meyer lemon and wild fennel instead of tarragon.