Name: Roasted Kale and Grilled Persimmon Salad
Ingredients: 6 Fuyu persimmons (halved and sliced); 4 golden beets (peeled, halved and sliced); Olive oil; Coarse salt; Black pepper; 1 large bunch curly kale (stems trimmed and the leaves cut into thin strips); 1 lemon (halved); 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1/2 cup basil (leaves left whole); 1/4 cup cilantro (leaves left whole); 1/4 cup mint (leaves left whole)

Roasted kale and grilled persimmon salad on a plate. — Roasted Kale and Grilled Persimmon Salad. Photo: Pascale Beale

This is one of the kale recipes I made with the prolific plants from the garden. If you have access to a Fuyu persimmon tree, you are in for a treat. This is another fruit tree that I covet—maybe I can find a spot to squeeze one in!

Ingredients

6 Fuyu persimmons, halved and sliced
4 golden beets, peeled, halved and sliced
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Black pepper
1 large bunch curly kale, stems trimmed and the leaves cut into thin strips
1 lemon, halved
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ cup basil, leaves left whole
¼ cup cilantro, leaves left whole
¼ cup mint, leaves left whole

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place the sliced persimmons and sliced golden beets into a salad bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and some black pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
Place a cast-iron griddle on a stovetop over high heat. Once hot, add the sliced persimmons and beets (you may need to do this in two batches) and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. Once cooked, place them on a plate.
Place the chopped kale onto a sheet pan/cookie sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle a little salt over the top and add a little pepper. Place in the center of the oven and roast for 8 minutes. As soon as the kale is cooked, remove from the oven and squeeze the lemon all over the kale.
Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar in the bottom of a salad bowl and whisk together well. Place salad utensils over the vinaigrette. Place the grilled persimmons and beets, and roasted kale on top of the utensils. Add all the herbs to the salad bowl. When you are ready to serve, toss the salad well.