Little known but easy to make, with the Vanilla Persimmons in Oil preserve, you will surely amaze your guests. It is usually prepared with unripe Loti persimmons, but having tried it, I switched directly to vanilla persimmons because the final result always leaves astringent aftertaste. You can serve this delight with aged cheeses, on crostini, boiled meats, roasts, and so on, an excellent substitute for chutney, jams, and honey. Additionally, persimmons are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and beta-carotene, which are very good for our health. As for the procedure, to ensure it is done safely, with well-sterilized jars and correct cooking times, I recommend reading Homemade Preserves, where you will find answers to all your doubts.
If you like homemade preserves, then don’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Day
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: about 4 jars
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn
Ingredients
- 2.64 lbs Vanilla Persimmons
- to taste Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2.54 cups White Wine Vinegar
- 8 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- to taste Whole Peppercorns
- 4 cloves Garlic
- to taste Salt
- 1.06 quarts Water
Tools
- 250 g jars with lids
- Bowl
- Pot
Procedure
Wash the vanilla persimmons well, dry them, cut them in half and remove the stem along with the yellowish part. With a sharp knife, slice them no thicker than half an inch, remove the seeds and cut them in two (if the persimmons are small, you can leave the slices whole).
Bring the water to a boil with the right amount of white wine vinegar and dip all the slices in. Cook for about 5/6 minutes, drain them and place them on a cloth to cool and dry well.
Pour everything into a bowl and season with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Mix so that the seasoning is distributed over all the persimmon slices and cover with a cloth. Refrigerate and let sit for about 24 hours, turning occasionally.
After the necessary time, pour a drizzle of EVO oil at the base of the glass jar, place the slices inside and add the seasonings: a piece of garlic, half a sprig of thyme, and a few peppercorns. Continue this way until the jar is full and while doing it, apply light pressure to avoid air bubbles. Finally, cover with more extra virgin olive oil, but not up to the rim.
Seal each jar tightly, put it inside a sock, one of those mismatched or that you don’t use anymore, and place it inside a high-edged saucepan. Pour cold water over them to cover, put on the heat, and let boil for about 35 minutes.
Once ready, turn off the heat and let them cool directly in the pot. Remove the jar from the sock and ensure the lid has vacuum-sealed (it should stay well pressed down), if it is swollen, change the lid and boil again.
At this point, label our Vanilla Persimmons in Oil, and let them flavor in a dry and dark place for at least 40 days.
Tips and Storage
If you do not like the seasonings I suggested, to flavor the Persimmon in Oil preserve, feel free to include those you like the most.
Before storing the jars in the pantry, label and date them, so if you have leftovers from the previous year, they will be instantly recognizable.
A tried and tested tip I want to give you is to place the jars inside socks, those that remain unmatched, and boil them this way.
This way you will avoid that cloth, which never fits well in the pot, and the containers will be really well protected from impacts during boiling.
