When I was invited to a Halloween wedding this year, I wasn’t feeling overly inspired costume-wise. I picked up a witch hat and then inspiration struck. I’d throw on an apron, grab a whisk for a wand and go as a Kitchen Witch.

Hanging a witch in a kitchen is a Scandinavian tradition that’s supposed to bring good luck to the home and ward against culinary catastrophes.

My step-grandmother originated this tradition and my kitchen currently sports three- one from France, a gift from my dear friends Beth and Range; another from my mother; and a witch cookie jar that belonged to my mother’s childhood best friend.

The costume was a hit at the office on Friday- so was the Curried Persimmon Soup I conjured for our office potluck.

Fuyu persimmons

I adore fuyu persimmons, a mildly flavored fall tree fruit that look like apples and pumpkins had a baby. Being a native New Yorker, I first encountered persimmons after I moved to California. They tend to be scarce and expensive at grocery stores and farmers markets alike.

So, when a co-worker brought a large crate of these beauties into the office to share, I instantly thought of how the sweet, subtle flavor of persimmon would marry perfectly with curry.

Normally you eat the fruit just like an apple, peel and all, spitting out the flat, dark brown seeds.

The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the persimmons. A vegetable peeler proved no match, but a paring knife cut easily through the thick stem and core.

In a large pot, combine the chopped onion, minced garlic and persimmons, saute for 4 minutes (I added a splash of olive oil at this step).

Add curry powder, salt, pepper and chicken stock, then bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until the persimmons become soft, about 6 more minutes.

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup and add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with prosciutto.

Now, I failed to measure my ginger and ended up with quite a spicy soup. However, I think the extra spice offsets the sweetness of persimmon perfectly.

The recipe reminds me of a ginger carrot soup I’ve made before. While persimmons are seasonal, and expensive even then, this recipe would be a lovely splurge for your Thanksgiving table.

Curried Persimmon Soup

I highly recommend the prosciutto garnish.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds Persimmons, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Onion, small, diced

1 tablespoon Ginger, minced

5 cups Chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons Curry powder

2 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Pepper

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

Instructions:

In a large pot, saute the onions, ginger and persimmons for 4 minutes over medium heat.

Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer until the persimmons are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the curry powder, salt and pepper. Simmer for 4 more minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the fruit to a smooth consistency and add lemon juice.

Garnish with strips of prosciutto if desired.

PER SERVING: 193 calories, 3 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 2 mg cholesterol, 482 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.