The fresh cranberry and persimmon season is short, but even if you make this only a few times for fall and winter meals and holiday feasts, it will be worth it. The sweetness of the persimmon, apple, and tangerine balances the tartness of the raw cranberries like a charm.
- 1½ cups fresh whole cranberries
- 2 medium, ripe Fuyu persimmons, chopped
- 2 tangerines (or 1 orange), peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 medium apple, peeled or unpeeled, cored and chopped
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Place the cranberries, persimmons, tangerine or orange, apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a food processor, and pulse 10 to 15 times, or until the relish looks like chunky salsa.
- Transfer the relish to a medium bowl and give it another stir to make sure the cinnamon and nutmeg have been thoroughly mixed in. Serve immediately or chill for later. (If there is too much liquid in the bottom, just drain it off.)
Persimmon types: I prefer Fuyu persimmons in this recipe and tend to steer clear of the Hachiya persimmons since when they are completely ripe and sweet they are a little too soft and gooey (see photo of both types below).
Ideas for leftover relish: Stir it into a green salad; add it to the top of oatmeal or other morning porridge; blend it into green smoothies; or blend it until smooth to make a sweet and tangy salad dressing.
Above: I was surprised at how much I loved this relish. I thought it would be too tart in a raw form, but the sweet-tart balance is great. This raw version is also very colorful and eye-catching. This is a healthy alternative to canned cranberry jelly or traditional relishes, which are typically loaded with high-fructose corn syrup or white sugar.
Above: A Fuyu persimmon on the left and a Hachiya on the right. A ripe Fuyu will leave a little indent when pressed on, like a ripe pear.
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I have made this relish for years (without tho persimmon) got the recipe from a Seven Day Adventist cook book. I always chopped the orange and added it after processing, made it less juicy. I will definitely add a persimmon this year.
Thanks for the comment, Arlene! 😉
I use the grinder attachment on my KitchenAid stand mixer.
I saw that walmart seems to carry persimmons (4 pack) for $117? is that right??? Is it really that expensive? something doesn’t seem right
Probably a misprint. 🙂
This is a wonderful combination of flavors!! I didn’t realize that Fuyu persimmons are best when quite orange–I used mine a little early and had more astringency than I like. Still, excellent flavor. I zested the orange first and added that. Then I added the chopped orange after first combining the other ingredients. Thank you for a great recipe!
Oh, I just saw that you wrote about when a Fuyu is ripe. I must have skipped over that being so eager to make it!
This is definitely the cat’s meow. I’ve made this a few times now. It’s totally my absolute favorite cranberry recipe!
I just made this relish while visiting family in CA, where I was introduced to persimmons for the first time. Loved the relish, awesome flavor – and without any sugar or even dates! Thanks for another great recipe, Cathy!