Author Notes
Each autumn I struggle with what exactly to do with all of those persimmons that inevitably come in my produce box. You see, I don’t really love them–not the crisp fuyu, nor the more tender, heart-shaped hachiya. I’ve made them into cookies, dried them, and tossed them raw into salads. Every time I try them I’m really underwhelmed, to put it politely. They don’t make me gag or anything. I’m just not that into them.
So here they are again, the lovely (but flavorless) persimmons sitting in my fruit bowl. And it’s lunch time. And I’m hungry. I dig through the cheese drawer and come upon some goat cheddar and sliced prosciutto. A lightbulb goes on…the one that says, everything is better with bacon. I get 2 slices of gluten-free bread, smear them with a liberal amount of grainy mustard (also gluten-free, of course), some slices of goat cheddar, crisped prosciutto and, yes, persimmon. That’s how the persimmon and prosciutto grilled cheese was born.
In all honesty, I would have preferred sliced apples in my sandwich, but the persimmons weren’t half bad…just enough sweet to offset the tangy goat cheese and the salty prosciutto. Will I make it again? Most certainly. For now, it’s about the best thing that has happened to any persimmon that’s come into my kitchen. —A Girl Defloured
Ingredients
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4
slices of your favorite bread
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2 tablespoons
grainy mustard
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1
fuyu persimmon, peeled and sliced
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6
large slices of goat cheddar cheese (or goat brie or regular cheddar)
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4
slices of prosciutto
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melted butter or olive oil for brushing
Directions
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Heat a skillet over a medium flame. Add the prosciutto slices and cook until just crisp on both sides. It will only take a couple of minutes. Wash the pan and return it to the stove. Heat it over medium-low heat.
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Spread the mustard on one side of all the bread. To two slices of bread add a layer of cheese, then the persimmons, another layer of cheese, then the prosciutto, and finally a third layer of cheese. Top with the remaining bread.
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Brush the tops and bottoms of the sandwiches with melted butter or olive oil and place in the preheated pan. Cook slowly, turning frequently, until the sandwiches are a deep golden brown and the cheese is melted (note: goat cheddar doesn't melt as much as goat brie or regular cheddar).
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Slice each sandwich in half and serve immediately.
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