Fuyu Persimmon & Turnip Quick Pickle

Persimmons are in season, orange as pumpkins and sunsets. They have a rich, sweet flavor that is most often showcased in baked goods or eaten fresh out of hand.

This Japanese inspired quick pickle turns that sweetness on its head, pairing the orange persimmons with thinly sliced baby turnips. The younger the turnip, the better for this recipe. Smaller, young adult turnips like these work well, too. You’re more likely to find the youngest baby turnips at the farmer’s market than the grocery store, since the baby turnips don’t store as well as their older siblings, but we live in such an agricultural heaven out here that you might get lucky at your local grocery, too.

No matter their source, the turnips, and the persimmons play well off each other in this quick pickle; salty and earthy and sour and sweet. You can peel the turnips to dial down their earthy turnipness, or leave the peel on. Bonus if you leave the skin on a young turnip: you get that lovely ribbon of purple around the edge of the slices.

Makes about a quart

Directions

Choose the youngest baby turnips you can find or smaller adult turnips. Wash well.
Prepare the turnips. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the roots in thin moons or half moons.
In a bowl, toss the turnips with salt and let them marinate for about 10 minutes to soften slightly.
Dissolve the sugar in rice vinegar to make a brine.
Prepare persimmons. Slice off the top of each fruit and discard; slice the rest into thin rounds.
In a jar, layer alternate slices of persimmon and turnip.
Combine residual salt and turnip juices with rice vinegar, and pour over the sliced roots and fruits until all are submerged.
Place the pickle in the fridge and let it marinate for a few hours before serving. We like it best a day or two after making it when the sweetness of the Fuyu persimmons is still distinct against the earthy turnip. It’s fun rolled in sushi, in a ramen bowl, or over rice. The longer it sits, the more pronounced the turnip flavor becomes. At that stage, it would be a delicious contrast to a dish of roasted roots.

 

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