Name: Cranberry Persimmon Fruit Salsa
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup fresh cranberries; 2-3 tbsp rice wine vinegar (unseasoned); 1/4 cup diced red onion; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves; 1/4 Serrano or Jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced); sea salt (to taste); 4 tbsp fresh lime juice (or to taste); 4 whole small fuyu persimmons (peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice, or substitute 1 mango)

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A versatile fruit salsa

I was lucky enough to taste this recipe at an event hosted by the Baja spa Rancho La Puerta. And I promptly begged for the recipe. A multi-cultural garnish, this Cranberry and Persimmon Fruit Salsa is brilliant with tacos of every kind, from grilled chicken to fried fish to carne asada. But you don’t need to save it for tacos. Use this fresh salsa recipe as you would any relish.

A remarkable dip or relish or topping, depending on how you use it, this mildly spicy fruit salsa offers a bit of the flavor and texture of a classic tomato salsa. But along with the faint sting of fresh chile and the freshness of cilantro, this topping offers the mild sweetness of persimmon flesh. A persimmon salsa really is not unlike a tomato salsa. Their texture and faint sweetness are similar. But this recipe brings in a new sensation with the gentle pop and tart zing of cranberries to help emphasize the persimmon’s sweetness.

I’ve used this fruit salsa as a healthy topping for fish. But you could also use this unique fruit salsa to add complexity as a topping for grilled skirt steak or even Thanksgiving turkey. Or try adding it to a roast chicken sandwich, as you would a cranberry relish. Or you can also do what we all love to do with any salsa. Serve this mildly spicy salsa with a big bowl of tortilla chips.

Your new date night condiment

As you can imagine, I chose to feature this persimmon salsa not just because I love the bold, seasonal flavor. The number of aphrodisiac ingredients is almost epic. For starters, there’s the chiles. The sweet sting of chile pepper is among the world’s most legendary aphrodisiacs. Then there’s the fact that lime, along with all citrus, is among the best foods for women’s sexual health.

Cranberries and persimmons are aphrodisiac

Did you know that both cranberries and persimmons have aphrodisiac properties? Cranberries are an excellent source of antioxidants. Here’s more information about the aphrodisiac side of this crimson, fall fruit. Interestingly, persimmon, noted historically as aphrodisiac, is also linked with anti-aging. And it is considered a good source of several nutrients vital to sexual health.

While you don’t necessarily have to serve this tempting salsa as part of a meal of seduction, (it’s also a great accompaniment for a Thanksgiving feast), it’s nice to know that you’re giving your body ingredients that are going to go to work for you!

Chef’s tip on making a persimmon salsa

The folks at Rancho La Peurta sent a couple of key tips along with this persimmon salsa recipe, “On Rancho La Puerta’s organic farm, we cultivate the squat persimmons known as fuyu. These persimmons are ready in the fall.”

Fuyu persimmons are non-astringent, (less tannic than many other persimmon varieties), and get sweeter after picking. But don’t confuse ripening with rotting; use the fruit when it’s still somewhat firm. The larger, heart-shaped persimmons are NOT suitable for this recipe. They also let us know that if you can’t find fuyus, mango can be used in place of the persimmon to make a cranberry mango salsa.