Ingredients
1/2 cup diced onions
2 T olive oil
1 cup brown rice
6 cups turkey stock
1/4 cup dried Porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup hot water
1 bunch fresh Swiss chard, washed, de-stemmed and chopped
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cooked turkey meat
Sea salt (fine) and pepper, to taste

You will also need:
Large pot with lid
Large spoon

Instructions
Saute the onions in olive oil over medium heat for about five minutes.  Add the brown rice and saute for about two minutes.  Add the turkey stock.  Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat until you have a slow simmer.  Cover the pot. 

Meanwhile, soak the porcini mushrooms in the hot water until they are tender.  Remove them from the water.  Keep the water – we will use it, as well.  Chop the mushrooms and add them to the soup.  Add the mushroom water to the soup.  Be careful not to get any sand from the bottom of the bowl into the soup pot.  Stir the soup and continue to simmer.  After about 30 minutes of cooking, add the chopped Swiss chard and the turkey meat.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes longer until the rice is tender.  Add fine sea salt and pepper to taste.  

Serve immediately with a thick slice of crusty whole-grain bread and a favorite salad.

Ingredients
2 cup self rising flour
2 T brown sugar
1 stick (4 oz.) cold European-style butter (such as Plugra), cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup hachiya persimmon pulp
1/4 cup creme fraiche or buttermilk
Extra flour for rolling out the dough

You will also need:
Food processor
Rolling pin
Biscuit or scone cutter (or a knife)
Buttered baking pan

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). 

Place the self-rising flour in a food processor that has been fitted with the blade attachment in the bottom.  Add the brown sugar.  With the food processor on the pulse setting, start adding the cold butter, one piece at a time.  Pulse about 10 times after each addition of butter.  Continue to add the butter until it has all been incorporated, pulsing after adding each piece.  Add the persimmon pulp and the creme fraiche or buttermilk slowly on the pulse setting (you may not need all of it) until the mixture starts to come together in clumps.  Stop the processor and carefully check just the top of the dough (the blade is still inside!) to see if the mixture is moist.  If so, remove the blade.  Then gather up the dough into a ball form with your hands.  If the dough is still too dry, then continue to add creme fraiche or buttermilk until the mixture starts to get moist. 

Spread some flour on the countertop and place the ball of dough there.  With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about 1 inch thick.  You can then cut out shapes using your biscuit or scone cutter.  Or you can roll the dough into a circle and cut it into wedges using your knife. 

Place the scones into the buttered baking dish, sides not touching.  Bake for 15-18 minutes until slightly browned. 

Eat right away.  These are great with honey, jam, creme fraiche, clotted creme, etc.

This cake is so moist!  I truly love to make it.  It is so simple – no mixer required!  And it is a small cake, so it doesn’t stay around the house forever.   I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients
1 cup Hachiya persimmon pulp
2 eggs
4T (1/2 stick) butter, melted (plus a little more for buttering the baking dish)
1/3 cup milk
1 t. vanilla
3/4 cup plain (all purpose) flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t. ginger
1 T chopped candied ginger (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 T brown sugar

You will also need:
Mixing bowl
Medium bowl
Large spoon
Measuring spoons and cups
Buttered baking dish (I typically use a 10″x 6″ dish but two 6” loaf pans, or one 8″x8″ pan will work fine, too.)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

In a mixing bowl, mix together the persimmon pulp, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and candied ginger.  Add this mixture to the persimmon mixture and stir to combine.  Add the chopped pecans and stir to mix well.

Pour this mixture into the greased baking dish.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake is firm but still springy on top.  Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Just before serving, mix together the creme fraiche and the 1 T brown sugar.   Garnish the cake with this mixture just before you serve it.

This cake keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Autumn brings a wealth of wonderful produce – including the fantastic persimmon!  In California, we can find two varieties of persimmons at the local markets – the hachiya and the fuyu.  These two varieties represent astringent (hachiya) and non-astringent (fuyu) persimmons. 

Hachiya persimmons, which are pointed on the end,  are astringent until they ripen.  They turn deep orange in color when they are starting to ripen.  However, don’t be fooled by color alone.  They are ready to eat only when they become jelly-soft (like a water balloon).   Note:  You can buy fruit that is still a bit firm and ripen it in a bowl with a banana or an apple.

I have a hachiya persimmon tree in my yard and it has a lot of fruit on it this year.  I have really enjoyed coming up with new recipes that use these delicious fruits.  Take a look at my Moist Persimmon Cake with Creme Fraiche recipe, as well as my Persimmon Scones recipe.  

Fuyu persimmons (pictured above) are flatter than hachiyas and can be eaten while still firm or soft.  I think they are best when crisp and sweet.  They should be peeled before being eaten, as the peel is astringent.  Add them to a salad for a real treat.  Take a look at my recipe for Autum Salad with Fuyu Persimmons, Candied Pistachio Nuts, Fresh Goat Cheese and Honey-Vinaigrette Dressing.