Persimmon Vanilla Cobbler

Oh Persimmons!

We had a rough start, you and me.

But after a few years, playing under your tree,

I've come to love thee!

Really though... when we first moved in, we had no idea what kind of tree it was that provided such beautiful shade and stood as the figure piece for our backyard, that was not yet a yard at all.  After a season, we learned it was a persimmon tree!  So fun!  After doing some poor research, and giving it an undeserving hack job, it went through a bit of a rough season.  But this year... THIS YEAR... I fell in love with our little tree and the harvest was plenty.  Maybe trees just need to be loved to produce well (and we added it to the drip system this year... poor thing).  And by loved, I mean embraced as a part of our yard: yoga under the tree, using it as a "secret look out," and it acting as a "fielder" to our son's line-drives.  It's a part of our yard now, which is a part of our family space.

So with no future ado, I give you one of two persimmon recipes!  One sweet, one savory.  This one I've been perfecting since year one.  And this year, I finally got the nod from son and husband that "this was the best ever."

Here's our family under our beloved persimmon tree on Thanksgiving morning.  We did two turkeys this year... Me on the oven bird and Chris on the grilled bird- both using the spatchcock method.  And Colton on the pig skin.  We had all bases covered.

So first you need to pick your persimmons.  On the tree or in the store- for this recipe, you can use slightly under ripe persimmons for this recipe because the cooking will break them down a bit.

And really... if persimmons have not sparked your fire yet, then you need to try this recipe and the one to follow!  They are hardy, versatile, and FUN!

Persimmon Cobbler 
(breakfast or dessert)

3 cups sliced persimmons, cores removed
1 vanilla bean

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup and 3/4 cup liquid (melted) coconut oil, (butter is fine too)

1/2 cup white sugar

3 1/2 cups of rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt.

Heat oven to 375.

In a large pot or pan, saute persimmons with 1/4 cup coconut oil.  After a few minutes add brown sugar, water and vanilla bean.  Slice the bean in half and scrape the seeds out with a knife to stir into the mix.  Cook on medium heat for about 15 min.

With a slotted spoon, pull the persimmons out and reduce liquid to about a 1/2 cup if it's not already there.  Then fish out the bean- it's done it's job.

Layer half your cooked persimmons in a baking dish or pan.

In a mixing bowl, pour your persimmon liquid, and all remaining ingredients: remaining liquid coconut oil, white sugar, oats, cinnamon, allspice, flour and salt.  Mix together for your oat topping.

Crumble half of mixture over persimmons.

Add last half of persimmons, then finally, the last half of oat topping.

Bake at 375 for 25 min.  Scoop and serve with ice cream or whipped cream depending on the time of day!