Broiled Persimmons with Greek Yogurt

Fall and winter desserts are so deliciously rich and substantial. Afterwards we end up feeling too "substantial" to get off the couch. Hibernation food. Now that is fine and dandy after Thanksgiving dinner, but what's a girl to do when a sweet end to the meal is in order, but you don't want to end up in a food coma?

Enter a lovely little fruit that shows up in late fall: the persimmon.

Fuyu Persimmons. Photo by Rob Loper

I made a delicious butternut squash risotto for a cozy dinner at home. The evening called for dessert, but after the risotto I thought something light would be best. I stared at the persimmons from my CSA. I'd never eaten one and let them go a little longer than I should have with this variety because I didn't know what to do with them.

So, I just plunged in. I pulled the stems out, sliced them horizontally and placed them on a small baking sheet. Then spread about 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon of honey on top of each half. I turn on the broiler and placed the baking sheet on top rack of oven. I broiled them for about 5 minutes, but you should check each minute after 2 minutes. If some of the honey drips off onto the pan it will smoke a bit and smell like it is burning even though the fruit is fine. (But you might want to turn on the fan, because smoke alarms don't know nothing is really burning.)

When lightly browned around the edges, remove from oven. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt (I used plain, non-fat, but honey or vanilla would also be good), sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar blend or drizzle with additional honey, and top with fresh or dried mint, finely minced or crushed. If you want your desert to be a little less virtuous, you could top with whipped cream or sweetened, whipped cream cheese or mascarpone. Or perhaps a little vanilla bean ice-cream.

The finished product. Photo by Rob Loper

Now, I think these would have been better if I hadn't refrigerated the persimmons for a few days ahead of time as I think that diminished their flavor a bit. However, broiling seemed to bring it back out. That actually works with a lot of fruits. Like roasting does for veggies. It also helps if you eat by candlelight. Really, everything is so elegant and appetizing that way. You should all try it.

Beautiful end to a meal. Photo by Rob Loper

I've had lots of food on my table in the past couple of months, but keep forgetting to write down the recipes or take photos. So I haven't blogged anything in awhile. It seemed mean to say, "Hey, I ate this really terrific thing, but I can't tell you how to make it or show you any photos." Reminds me of a big fish story.

I hope you are all savoring your sweet moments at the table as much as I am mine.