Just in time for Christmas! Easy Persimmon recipes packed with flavour using local fermented chilli sauces.
About Persimmon
I love Persimmons. The taste of this delicious fruit is very similar to mango. Make sure to ripen them first if you want to cut them into thin slices or chopped en brunoise. Don’t worry if they are overripe, you can puree the Persimmon and use it as a spread, topping, mix it with yoghurt or use it in a soup.
Never heard of Persimmon? This orange fruit grows on big trees and looks like a tomato. They are actually berries and not fruit. Translated from Latin, it means ‘divine food’ or ‘food of the gods’. It is not only delicious but healing too. It boosts your immunity as it is packed with phytonutrients, antioxidants, fibre, B Vitamins, and minerals and contains the cancer-fighting antioxidant Fisetin. For me, food is more than feeding me. It not only has to be delicious but nutritious too.
Orriss & Son small batch chilli sauces
For these Persimmons recipes, I have used chilly sauces from a local producer, who produces small. batch fermented chilli sauces. David Underwood, the founder of Orriss & Son, is best known as one of the co-owners of Steak & Honour. He travelled extensively, worked as a chef in top kitchens in London and Melbourne before returning to Cambridge where he joined Leo to build up the burger sensation of Cambridge, Steak & Honour. During the pandemic in 2020, David decided that it was time to concentrate on an idea he had been working on for over the last decade; handcrafted, fermented chilli sauces made in small batches. Pure and simple, no additives.
My second love
I am sure that you are not surprised that as a Dutchie my first love is cheese. My second one is spices. For me the complexity of a spice mixture is important. The advantage of grinding your own spices is that you can add your own twist. Heat and hot are often confused. Heat is a well balanced spice mixture and gives a nice warming flavour to your dish, but still can be pretty spicy. When a spice mixture is hot it blows off your head, and the only thing you can taste is the sharp flavour of chilli. When I try food and drinks for the first time, I always taste it neat to establish the pure flavour of the product. From here you can start building.
I had read that the sauces of Orriss & Son were much milder than other chilli sauces. When I tried them neat there was definitely a kick. Interestingly, the flavour of these chilli sauces changes completely when you add it to food. It doesn’t dominate the dish you’re creating, but it adds a delicious layer. David produces three sauces at the moment. My wave ( Piri-Piri), Even Flow and Fresh Tendrils made with nettles. My favourite is the last one as it is so unusual. Toast, Labneh or cream cheese and Fresh Tendrils chilli sauce is now a thing!
5 recipes with Persimmon and Orriss & Son chilli sauces
Creamy Persimmon and pumpkin soup
Gamba and Persimmon salsa
Prawn and Persimmon cocktail
Persimmon bruschettas with tomatoes or Bresaola
Bon apetit and wishing you a happy Christmas and stay safe!
Gerla