Photos by Kristin Teig

When it comes to fall fruit, persimmons are truly an underdog.

However, they really do deserve so much more attention. Here, slices star in a jewel-toned bowl made complete with spicy candied pecans, tart pomegranate seeds, and a citrusy dressing.

Serves 4

Instructions:

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl to combine, breaking up any large clumps of sugar.
3. Beat the egg white in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the pecans and toss to coat. Use your hands or a slotted spoon to lift the nuts out of the bowl and into the spice mixture, leaving any excess egg white behind. Toss to coat evenly in the spice mixture then spread out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake, tossing occasionally to separate the nuts and prevent them from burning, until the nuts are dry, toasted, and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet while you prepare the salad.
5. Whisk together the orange juice, maple syrup, and orange liqueur (if using) until combined. Add the persimmons and toss to coat.
6. Roughly chop about half of the toasted pecans (reserve the rest for snacking—see Note) and add them to the bowl of persimmons, along with half of the pomegranate seeds. Toss to combine. Garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds.

Note: You’ll make more gingered pecans than you need for this recipe, but their crunchy sweetness hardly makes that a problem. They’ll stay fresh stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of weeks and can be snacked on out of hand, sprinkled on yogurt, added to other salads, or even used as an ice cream topping.