Pomegranate Persimmon Salad, and How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds

So today I am going to tell you about a salad that has two of my favorite full-bodied fall fruits (try saying that five times fast!).  But first, lets get some formalities out of the way.


Project Food Blog is still going strong, and in fact, voting for Round #7 is currently underway!  And what kind of dedicated gal would I be if I didn't make absolutely sure that you got to see my video entry for this round.  Have you seen it yet?  I hope so, but if not, be sure to check out my original post, or go directly to the Foodbuzz website (where you can vote for me, wink wink).  I made a delicious dessert for you and tied it all up with a pretty bow, and I hope you enjoy it.  If you like it, don't forget to vote for my entry!  Voting is open through Thursday, Nov.18th, 6pm PST, and I truly appreciate ALL your support. 

Now then, shall we get on to this salad?


This salad is extremely easy to make with just a few seasonal ingredients such as pomegranates and persimmons.  Pomegranates are an amazing fall fruit, and their health benefits are extraordinary; they are a rich source of B vitamins as well as vitamin C, and their seeds contain extra fiber and also heathy oils.  But about those seeds... it seems many people are in a quandary over how to actually get the seeds out of the pomegranate without looking like they were the victim in bad horror movie.  Pomegranate seeds have a lot of juice, and when you open it up and try to remove the seeds it gets everywhere!  So let me show you an easy, mess-free way to remove the seeds from a fresh pomegranate.








See, wasn't that easy?  I hope that quick demo will encourage you to go out and buy a fresh pomegranate to reap all its health benefits and its fantastic taste.  And just so that you know, once you remove the seeds from a fresh pomegranate, if you keep them refrigerated in an airtight container, you can enjoy those little jewels over the course of several days. 

Next, my salad has persimmons, specifically the Fuyu variety.  If you have never tried a persimmon, I urge you, I compel you, to get out there and try one.  Their flavor can be light and barely sweet, and as they ripen, it becomes lush and rich.  I tried a persimmon for the first time when I was in Australia, and I still hold on to that memory!  You can eat a persimmon just like an apple, or you can slice it up in salads, and it can be easily cooked.  One of the things I especially love about persimmons, is that there is no core or seed that is inedible, so you can nom nom on the entire thing.  

For this particular salad, the Fuyu persimmons are fantastic because they are almost non-astringent.  Um, what does that mean?  Well, they don't have as much tannins as many other fruits.  What, you say I still speaking gibberish?  Astringency = tannins = that puckering feeling in your mouth when you drink red wine or tea, or when you eat pomegranates or cranberries.  Now do you know what I am talking about?  So, long story short, Fuyu persimmons and pomegranates can be best friends because opposites attract.   

And oh yeah, I wanted this to be a more filling salad, so I thought I would add a little chicken to the mix.  Voila!  A healthy, beautiful, fall salad.  

Oh I almost forgot the dressing!  We can't have a naked salad, can we?  The dressing I made was also simple, with some POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, a little red wine vinegar, lemon oil, honey for sweetness, and some salt and pepper.  A easy dressing for an easy salad, with a light flavor that would not overpower the delicious fruits.  I mixed it all together, gave it a quick swirl with my adorable mini egg man whisk (I couldn't resist posting this), and I even put it all in a portable container so I could take the dressing and salad to work. 

Because sure, I plated this out and took pretty pictures for eye candy, but this was really my lunch today.  And it was delicious. 

Pomegranate and Persimmon Salad
In the fall, you should be able to find pomegranates and persimmons in well stocked grocery stores, but you are more likely to find them at farmers markets (and the quality of the fruit will be better as well!).  I know that Trader Joe's also sells packaged pomegranate seeds that have already been removed from the fruit, if you want an easier option.  The salad ingredients I am listing here made a large lunch-style salad for one (me, of course), but would probably serve two as a first course for dinner.  


About 3 cups mixed greens
1 large persimmon, top removed and sliced thinly
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
3-4 chicken tenders; seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked, and then diced


Pomegranate Honey Dressing:
2 tbsp POM wonderful or pomegranate juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tsp lemon oil (or fruity extra virgin olive oil)  
About 3 tsp clover honey (or to taste for sweetness)
Salt and pepper       


Toss all the ingredients together for the salad, or divide the greens, persimmon, pomegranate and chicken between two bowls.  To make dressing, whisk all ingredients together, and then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add dressing to salad and eat immediately.