Spinach and persimmon salad

I love this recipe because here in Southern California, persimmons grow on trees in my friends’ yards, and getting to taste them at the peak of their fresh ripeness is such a treat! The combination of the sweet, tart, grippy persimmons, the spinach, the goat cheese, and of course the pomegranate seeds, make for tastes and textures that are awesome for entertaining.

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Ingredients

• 1 Fuyu persimmon, peeled and cored

• 2 cups roughly chopped spinach

• 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds

  Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• ½ tablespoon lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

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Instructions:

1. Slice persimmon into 1/4-inch rounds, then slice each round into quarters.

2. Place chopped spinach into a salad bowl. Top with persimmon quarters, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, and sliced almonds.

3. Whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss lightly to coat. Serve immediately.