Persimmon Jerk Chicken
November 16th, 2007
One of the fun and challenging things about belonging to a CSA or produce delivery service is finding ways to use ingredients you might not have picked out on your own. Having received Fuyu persimmons for a fourth straight week and growing tired of eating them out of hand, I resolved to find a savory application for the persimmon’s unique taste.
Cursory research online revealed little besides persimmon pudding in terms of cooking applications. Undaunted, I pushed ahead.
I suspected the tropical flavors of persimmon would pair well with a traditional Jamaican jerk sauce, so I set out to do some testing. Halving and broiling the persimmons revealed complex flavors of mango, apple, roasted squash, and spice.
Roasted Persimmons
Unfortunately, none of the chicken survived long enough for me to get a picture of the finished product.
Persimmon Jerk Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Fuyu persimmons
- 1/2 of a small red onion
- Juice of 1 lime
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp hot sauce (adjusted to taste)
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 oz spiced rum
- 1” piece of ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste (optional)
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 6 allspice berries
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 10 peppercorns
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 10 chicken thighs
Preparation
- Halve and roast persimmons under a broiler until golden on top; scoop flesh into your food processor.
- In a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind cinnamon, allspice, peppercorn, cloves, and mustard seed
- Blitz everything together in your food processor until smooth; check and adjust seasoning.
- Marinade your chicken for at least 8 hours, 24 hours if possible
- Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through; serve with basmati rice and mixed vegetables.
Finished Persimmon Jerk Marinade