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Shaved Persimmon and Celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano is a simple but impossibly lovely and festive-looking salad for eating throughout the winter. Yes, salad in winter! Sweet, tangy and with bags of umami, it is easily adaptable to other fruits and vegetables. The key is the cheese!
My last recipe for you was a creamy, dreamy Chard and Porcini Gratin. This créme fraîche and Parmigiano Reggiano-sauced vegetable side dish goes with all of your winter meals. As at home alongside a stew as it is with a nut roast (or gleaming, burnished turkey), this easy recipe is just so good. Let me know if you make it!
But pretty it ain’t. That, however, doesn’t bother me a jot. And I doubt it bothers you. Looks definitely aren’t everything when it comes to home cooked food. I should know!
But sometimes pretty is what you want. Attractive to the eye, inviting you to pick up your fork, this is my fresh alternative for your cold weather menus – and beyond. Don’t you feel healthier and more alive just looking at it? Who knew winter food could be so colourful, and so easy?
What do I need to make Shaved Persimmon and Celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano?
Small celeriac (you mightn’t need it all)
Lemon
Persimmon/Sharon fruit – heavy for its size and with a vibrant orange colour
Best extra virgin olive oil – something you like to use for drizzling rather than cooking
Pine nuts – or use flaked toasted almonds/hazelnuts
Fresh cranberries – optional. Or use pomegranate arils as for my recent celeriac and apple tartare recipe
Rocket/arugula
Honey – or other sweet alternative for light-handed drizzling
Parmigiano Reggiano – do get the real thing, please!
Three tips for a perfect result
First of all, the slicing. While not as crucial for the persimmon, it is pretty important for the celeriac. Prep the celeriac by slicing off the nobbly bottom to steady it on your cutting board. Then cutting down, slice away the rough skin to reveal the creamy, pale bit. Then slice the whole celeriac in halves or quarters (depends on the size of slices you want).
Now you can either use a mandoline cutter or a sharp heavy knife (the same you used to prep the celeriac) to carefully and slowly create nearly paper-thin slices. Slide slices into lemon water to keep them from discolouring and also soften them up.
My second tip is about presentation. Use a flat platter or plate with only the gentlest of raised edges for this shaved persimmon and celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano. It needs to be flat so that the slices can lay flat and overlap without crowding. And with slight edges to keep the liquid elements contained and instantly marinating the celeriac and persimmon slices.
The last tip is the cheese. You can certainly make this salad without it. But honestly, it absolutely pulls all of the flavours together in a near-magical way, so do use it if you can.
And the best, best cheese to use – and where I got my inspiration from – is Parmigiano Reggiano. I wrote in my last post about how I would come to you with a surprising use for this iconic Italian cheese. Well, here you go.
See how darn adaptable Parmigiano Reggiano is?
Cook with it, sprinkle it, nibble it, flake it, bake with it!
The Parmigiano Reggiano is not a garnish here, something present just to give a pale pop of colour contrast and a bit of salt. It is actually the key to the whole dish: savoury, umami taste; gently crumbling texture; incredible flavour. To be honest, without the parm, this shaved celeriac and persimmon dish would be a bit flat. It would certainly require a judicious amount of quality flaky sea salt to get anywhere near to balancing the simple flavours.
Keep the Parmigiano Reggiano. Splash out. A little goes a long way with this versatile and rich hard north Italian cheese.
Pro tip: Keep some Parmigiano Reggiano back to nibble on. 🙂
Why not grate instead of shave?
Do I have to shave the celeriac? That just sounds too hard.
Nope. If you are nervous of mandolines (me), or don’t have the confidence or proper knife to prep as advised, don’t worry. Just get out your box grater and use the side with the biggest holes to grate the celeriac. Or use the “shaving” side if present. Then add it all to a bowl and immediately squeeze in most of the lemon, tossing the grated celeriac around. Finally, you would wish to finely or chunkily chop the persimmon and add in all of the other bits, saving some back for garnish if you like. That’s it!
Some of you might have a food processor that has a fine slicing plate. If so, try that instead of hand-cutting.
Can I prep Shaved Persimmon and Celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano ahead of time?
Fresh is best for this recipe, so no sitting in the fridge overnight for this one. But if you want to make this, and get a little ahead, shave your celeriac and place in the lemon water up to 4 hours ahead, leaving it in the fridge or an unheated room. So that’s the fiddliest bit done. I wouldn’t however slice the persimmon in advance; it’ll just get mushy.
You can certainly arrange everything on your platter or individual plates (however you wish/need to present it) up to an hour ahead of eating, adding the rocket leaves just before serving.
Can I use other vegetables and fruits?
Of course! This wintry idea of Shaved Persimmon and Celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano is based on my summery Courgette Carpaccio, Fennel Pollen and Pine Nuts. Use young tender courgettes/zucchini if you wish. Those of you in North and South America (hello, by the way!) might want to use jicama if celeriac eludes you.
Other fruits to use would be pomegranate arils, more cranberries, blackberries (perhaps halved), kumquats, clementines, lychees or physalis (with their little paper lantern husks twisted back, not removed).
{Find out more about celeriac, and why you might want to use it, here.}
Keep this simple, raw recipe in your back pocket for when your meal could do with a fresh pop of colour, taste and texture. Cos this baby has all of these. Enjoy this winter dish, and enjoy your festive break. I hope it is full of good food, happy times and love xx
Shaved Persimmon and Celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano
An elegant winter salad of thinly sliced layers of seasonal persimmon and celeriac doused in olive oil, honey and a shower of toasted pine nuts and parmesan. Easy and adaptable.
-
100
g
celeriac
only part of a small celeriac -
1
lemon -
1/2
persimmon/Sharon fruit -
1
tbsp
extra virgin olive oil -
1
tbsp
pine nuts
toasted -
20
g
cranberries
palmful; or as much as you like -
10
g
rocket/arugula
a handful; or as much as you like -
2
tsp
honey
best quality -
20
g
Parmigiano Reggiano
flaked into shards or small chunks -
flaky salt and black pepper
as desired
-
Squeeze half of the lemon into a small bowl of water.
-
Prep the celeriac by slicing off the nobbly bottom to steady it on your cutting board. Then cutting down, slice away the rough skin to reveal the creamy, pale bit. Then slice the whole celeriac in halves or quarters (depends on the size of slices you want).
Now you can either use a mandoline cutter or a sharp heavy knife (the same you used to prep the celeriac) to carefully and slowly create nearly paper-thin slices. Slide slices into the lemon water to keep them from discolouring and also soften them up a bit.
-
Cut the persimmon into quarters and very thinly slice up the persimmon. Slice the cranberries in half or thirds.
-
Take your platter or two plates and start layering the celeriac and persimmon. Shake the celeriac slices as you go, tapping against a paper towel to get rid of excess moisture. Make a pattern that pleases you – random works for me.
-
Once you have the slices of persimmon and celeriac all laid out, dot over the cranberries and drizzle over the remaining lemon juice as well as the oil. Sprinkle over the rocket leaves, pine nuts and finally the shaved pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano. Add salt and pepper if you wish. This can sit for up to 1 hour before serving, adding the rocket just before serving.
Alternate presentation – grated! If you are nervous of mandolines (me), or don’t have the confidence or proper knife to prep as advised, don’t worry. Just get out your box grater and use the side with the biggest holes to grate the celeriac. Then add it all to a bowl and immediately squeeze in most of the lemon, tossing the grated celeriac around. Finally, you would wish to finely or chunkily chop the persimmon and add in all of the other bits, saving some back for garnish if you like. That’s it!
Variations: try jicama or courgettes if celeriac is elusive. Other fruits to use would be pomegranate arils, more cranberries, blackberries (perhaps halved), kumquats, clementines, lychees or physalis (with their little paper lantern husks twisted back, not removed). And try other nuts if you don’t have pine nuts. Toasted chopped hazelnuts or toasted flaked almond would be great.
Nutrition Facts
Shaved Persimmon and Celeriac with Parmigiano Reggiano
Amount Per Serving
Calories 221
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 238mg10%
Potassium 403mg12%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 197IU4%
Vitamin C 62mg75%
Calcium 173mg17%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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