Here in Southern California, land of amazing food grown year-round, there is a fruit in season now called the cherimoya. Being from the East Coast I had never seen one before, because cherimoyas have a very short shelf-life and therefore aren’t successful in commercial production. The yummiest, healthiest foods usually aren’t.
Sometimes called a custard apple, the cherimoya is related to the paw-paw, a yummy, rare fruit native to the Eastern U.S. Its unattractive exterior belies some of the most luscious, tropical tasting pulp I’ve ever enjoyed. They are a true local delicacy, so if you find yourself in Southern California, be sure to pick some up from your local farm market.
To ripen, simply set cherimoyas out on the counter at room temperature. You’ll know they’re ripe when they yield to gentle pressure, like an avocado. The fruit can turn from a hard green color to a full ripeness in 5 to 6 days. Once ripe, you can refrigerate them and they’ll last a few more days for you.
The best way to enjoy a really ripe cherimoya is also the easiest: Spoon out the fruit, discard the large black seeds and season the pulp with a squeeze of orange juice. To prepare for recipes, cut the top and the bottom of the fruit off and peel off the outer skin. Slice, chunk or puree as you wish, making sure to remove the seeds.
You can substitute cherimoya in any recipe calling for your favorite fresh fruit. Cherimoyas, like most fresh fruits, have good quantities of vitamins A and C, are high in fiber, have no cholesterol and are virtually non-fat.
Here are some simple cherimoya recipes to enjoy while they’re in season:
Cherimoya Tropical Soup (Serves 4)
- 1 large, ripe cherimoya
- 1 large, ripe mango
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup milk (coconut, rice, or raw cow’s)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Chill all ingredients for at least an hour before preparing.
- Peel and seed the mango and cherimoya and cut into pieces.
- Put the fruit, apple juice, milk, honey and cinnamon in a blender and puree.
- Pour into serving bowls, add garnish of choice, and serve.
Tropical Salad Dressing
- 1 cup pureed Cherimoya pulp
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. of Celtic sea salt (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp. of sesame tahini, sesame oil or powdered sesame seed
- 1 minced clove of fresh, organic garlic (about 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1 Tbsp. of minced, fresh, organic cilantro (optional)
- Mix pureed Cherimoya pulp with the extra virgin olive oil.
- Add rice vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.
- Add sesame tahini, sesame oil or powdered sesame seed.
- Add garlic, then cilantro (optional).
Cherimoya-Papaya Smoothie (Serves 2)
- 1 ripe papaya
- 1 ripe cherimoya
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- Peel and seed the cherimoya and papaya.
- Puree the fruit and honey in a blender, add the ice, and continue to puree until smooth.
- Pour into chilled glasses and serve at once.
- Enjoy!
