Toast Tuesday: Persimmon Bruschetta Holiday Appetizer

Hannah Sunderani
Dec 19, 2017
4 min read

Happy Holidays!! Here is a beautiful a persimmon bruschetta recipe to share as a delicious holiday appetizer: Persimmon Bruschetta. It's made with toasted whole wheat bread, smothered in cashew cream cheese, and topped with freshly sliced persimmon. Then sprinkled with fresh chives, salt flakes and pepper. Oh-fa-la-la-la this toast this was a holiday appetizer HIT in our home!

I wanted to share this plantbased recipe with you before the holiday season is over because it's a perfect bruschetta style appetizer to make for your loved ones. I freaking love this recipe because, it's DEAD easy to throw together (and we all know how busy this time of year is), it's unique and special, and the flavour combination is to die for. Hallelujah! I can't preach this wonderful holiday appetizer enough, you've just got to try it.

If you've never tried persimmon you are in for a treat. Persimmon is certainly my favourite winter fruit. I hadn't tried it until moving to France, actually, where it's sold in abundance during the winter months - it's so popular. But it north america it seems to be a little more on the exotic side, and I often have people asking me what it tastes like or where to buy it. I think of persimmon as beint a winter peach. Over time it gets softer, plumper and more juicy. You could just bite right into the beautiful fruit and slurp up all those sweet juices. Unlike the peach however there is no pit. So you can really slurp up the entire thing. I skin is edible as well, but some people like to peel it. I suppose it's a bit like an apple in that way where some poeple would rather it peeled, so I say it's comme tu veux. For me the skin adds extra nutrient benefit so why not get it in ma belly!

As for where to find them. The persimmon originates from China, and so it's you can likely find them at asian grocers. But a quick trip to Longos today also revealed they also have them there. So hurry down the grocery store tonight, and grab those pretty persimmons to ensure they have time to ripe for the holidays. As for checking when they're ready to eat. You sort of want to check them like you would an avocado. They will be softer to the touch at the top and bottom and little more firm around the centre. But honestly (just like peaches) they're good both hard and soft so really you can't go wrong cutting into one of these joyous winter fruits. But for optimal taste use the guidelines described above.

Although delicious on it's own (at this point I'm eating three persimmons a day) I I love it topped on toast for a persimmon bruschetta appetizer. The are no better combined flavours than some yeasty whole wheat toast, spread with savoury cashew cream cheese, topped with sweet and juicy persimmon and sprinkled with fresh chives. Add a little salt and pepper and it just enhances all the flavours. And rest assured the vegan skeptics will love this too. I served these last week to my vegan skeptic mother and got the stamp of approval, she LOVED them! Plus there is something about persimmon bruschetta that just screams unique and different. So why not show off a bit this Christmas with your originality for an appetizer to remember. John Oliver also made a joke about persimmons being a tad showy, and to that I say touché John! Christmas is all about getting a little fancy. ;). So let's go ahead and make these chef approved too!

Anyways since I am totally jet-lagged. We arrived home for the holidays at 3 a.m. this morning after a 25 hour long journey (and many cancelations and delays). So I am pooped! And so before I go for a quick snooze I'll leave you by saying: This Christmas, I give you persimmon to stuff yourself!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good nap!

Persimmon Bruschetta - Holiday Appetizer

Serves: 6| Prep Time: Overnight* + 20 mins| Cook Time: 0 mins

*cashew cream cheese requires soaking cashews overnight

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp olive oil
the juice of 1/2 lemon
splash water, if needed
6 slices bread fresh whole wheat bread, toasted
2-3 persimmons
fresh chives, chopped (for topping)
salt flakes and pepper (for topping)
maple spice to drizzle* see ingredient below

*For the maple spice:

1/2 cup maple syrup
4 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt

Directions:

Begin by making your cashew cream cheese: in a blender add soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed.
For the maple spice: Add the maple syrup, coconut oil, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Add apple cider vinegar and stir.
Toast sliced bread and top each with a thick layer of cashew cream cheese. Then top one toast with sliced persimmon. Drizzle with spiced maple syrup Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives, salt flakes and pepper to taste.

Note: Cashew cream cheese will keep in fridge for up to 1 week.

Approvals: