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Watercress, hazelnut and persimmon salad recipe

Winter fruit and peppery leaves tossed with cooked grains - Kirstie Young
Winter fruit and peppery leaves tossed with cooked grains - Kirstie Young

Deep orange persimmon, sometimes called Sharon fruit, glow enticingly among winter veg. Use firm fruit for this salad.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes

SERVES

three to four as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

  • 50g skin-on hazelnuts

  • 1 persimmon

  • 4 tbsp cooked freekeh, quinoa or bulgur wheat

  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp hazelnut oil (optional: you can use more olive oil instead)

  • 50g watercress, washed and dried

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for eight to 10 minutes, until the skins are flaking off and the nuts are golden brown. Tip on to a tea towel and use the towel to rub off the skins. Leave to cool.

  2. Slice the persimmon to 50p-piece thickness. Mix the vinegar, oil and a pinch of salt. Stir one tablespoon of this dressing through the freekeh/quinoa/bulgur wheat. Mix the rest with the watercress.

  3. Spread the watercress on a plate and scatter over the grains and persimmon slices. Roughly chop the nuts and add to the plate. Eat straight away.