Giving Thanks…with a Twist

Each November the food magazines reinvent Thanksgiving. That’s their job. The problem is that your friends and family don’t want any part of it. They look forward to eating the exact same meal you’ve been serving every year for as long as anyone can remember.

Indeed, this is no time to mess with tradition. None of Norman Rockwell’s stylized grandmas ever pulled a turducken out of the oven. Thanksgiving should be the ultimate comfort-meal; a stroll down Memory Lane. But that doesn’t stop me from sneaking in at least one new dish each year, just to satisfy my own creative yearnings. And the farmers’ market is where I go to seek inspiration.

To begin with, shopping in the crisp morning air is far more appealing than swapping germs in a crowded supermarket. It is also a mutually beneficial way to show our gratitude to the people who grow the foods we eat all year ‘round. And the November farmers’ market is surprisingly colorful.

I have a passion for fiery orange persimmons — as beautiful sitting on the counter as they are unique in recipes. You’ll find two very distinct varieties at the market this month. The larger of the two, the Hachiya, has an elongated teardrop shape with a pointed tip. Because they are so fragile when ripe, they are sold while still firm and inedible. Hachiya persimmons also contain bitter tannins that make them unpleasantly astringent to eat when the flesh is even slightly firm to the touch. After a week or more at room temperature, however, the fruit is tangy-sweet and ripe when it becomes jelly-soft—like a water balloon—making it a favorite addition to moist cakes, quick breads, cookies, and steamed puddings.

No less beautiful, the squat, flat-bottomed Fuyu persimmon is shaped more like a tomato. There is no waiting period before enjoying this variety since they should be eaten crisp, like an apple. The only bad news here is that persimmon season is short, so it’s now or never.

Salad is usually a good way to introduce an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable to suspicious relatives. (Yes, salad. Not every dish at Thanksgiving needs to be drowning in dairy products or buried under a gooey cloud of marshmallows.) The following is light and colorful; and the pleasantly bitter greens provide a refreshing counterpoint to the rich foods that are so much a part of a traditional meal. Play around with the ingredients if you like, by adding a scattering of jewel-like pomegranate seeds for extra seasonal glamour, or by substituting crumbled California goat cheese for the Parmesan.

This salad can stand alone as a first course, if that’s how you roll … though Thanksgiving at my house tends to be a raucous all-you-can-eat never-ending buffet. (In the most elegant possible way, of course.) I was born on Thanksgiving, so I figure that gives me a free pass for any breach of etiquette.

Winter Greens with Persimmons and Sweet-and-Spicy Walnuts

For the dressing:

• Freshly squeezed juice from 1 orange (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup California olive oil

For the salad:

• 4 Fuyu persimmons, caps cut out, peeled
• 10 cups baby arugula leaves or mixed baby lettuces (about 10 ounces)
• 8 cups mixed chicories, such as: coarsely chopped curly endive, shredded radicchio or Treviso, and coarsely torn frisée;
• 1/2 cup pitted and coarsely chopped Medjool dates
• 1 cup Sweet-and-Spicy Walnuts (recipe follows)
• 1 (3-ounce) chunk Parmesan cheese, at room temperature

To make the dressing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil until blended. (The dressing can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead. Whisk well before using.)
2. Using a mandoline or other vegetable slicer, cut the persimmons into paper-thin slices, taking care to remove any seeds. (Alternatively, persimmons can be cut into 1/4-inch wedges.)
3. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, chicories, persimmons, and dates. Drizzle all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of dressing over the top. Add the walnuts and toss gently to coat. Taste, adding the remaining dressing if needed. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan over the top. Serves 12.

Sweet-and-Spicy Walnuts

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse (kosher) salt
• 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup California walnut halves and pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with foil and spray with no-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, chili powder, and cayenne. Stir to blend. Add the walnuts, tossing to coat.
3. Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until the walnuts are glazed and lightly browned and the sugary coating is bubbly-hot, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool to cool completely. Break the nuts into bite-size pieces. Use at once, or store in an airtight container. Makes 1 cup.

Does your holiday recipe repertoire need an extreme makeover? Check out Peggy Fallon’s upcoming class at Draeger’s Blackhawk cooking school on Wednesday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to www.draegerscookingschool.com, or call 1-800-642-9463 ext. 261.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by supporting the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well.