Using pomegranates in drinks and salads

Last time, I told you about the powerful benefits offered by the lovely Pomegranate.

Here I focus on how to use this wonderful fruit. First and foremost,  let’s see how to get past the blushing hard skin to the juicy seeds, or arils, inside.

The easiest way to make your pomegranate drop its seeds

The juice stains everything it touches. So wear old clothes or an apron. I didn’t splash a drop, though, so if you’re patient, perhaps it won’t be a problem.

1. Get out a glass bowl, to receive the seeds.
2. Take a sharp knife and score the skin, around the circumference of the fruit.
3. With your thumbs, gently pry the two halves apart.
4. Hold one of the pomegranate halves upside down in your left palm over the bowl.
5. Slap the top of the fruit sharply with a big wooden spoon. Let the seeds drop through your fingers into the bowl. Turn the fruit from time to time and keep slapping until all the seeds have dropped. Then do the other half.
6. Discard any of the inner white papery pith that may have dislodged.
7. Check out this video to see how it’s done.

 

Fresh pomegranate juice, Jewish quarter of Rome

Juicing the pomegranate seeds

If you want the juice, but not the pits, and you don’t have a fancy squeezer like this guy’s, you have options:

1. Buy a bottle of pure pomegranate juice. Check the label to make sure there are no added ingredients (like the demon sugar). OR
2. Squeeze the seeds of a fresh pomegranate. Here are three ways:

1. Cut the fruit in half crosswise and ream the halves as you would a lemon.
2. Place the extracted seeds in a sealed plastic freezer bag and crush them gently with a rolling-pin. Or spin them in a food processor for a minute or two. Then strain the juice.
3. For less bitterness, cook the seeds slowly in a bit of water, and press them through a sieve or cheesecloth.

Cleaning up

If you make a mess with pomegranate juice, find out how to clean up, here.

Pomegranate drinks

Pomegranate juice is great in drinks. Try these:

• An iced tea with pomegranate, as in my last post :).
• A wine spritzer: Pour a tablespoon or two of pomegranate juice over ice, then top up with white wine and add as much (or as little) soda water as you want.
• Mixed juice: Mix pomegranate juice with blueberry or cranberry juice and a little soda and pour over ice.

Pomegranate salads

Pomegranate partners well with other healthy P words… like pumpkin seeds, pickled beets, pears, and potassium from dark leafy greens. Try these three main-course salads for lunch. All are super delicious.

Pomegranate and potassium salad
The potassium is in the spinach
serves four

• 1 (10 ounce) bag of baby spinach leaves, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 red onion, sliced very thin
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• seeds from 1 pomegranate
• vinaigrette made with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Put the spinach in a salad bowl. Top with red onion, walnuts, and feta.
2. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss.

 

Boiled dressing = easy and delicious!

Pear and pomegranate with kale salad
Kale can be an acrid fellow. This recipe makes him more agreeable !
Follow my method and I think you’ll  like Kale too.
Serves two

• 3 cups kale, rinsed, with ribs cut out and discarded and the leaves torn in pieces
• 2 tablespoons flavorful oil (I used walnut oil)
• ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 pear, halved and cored, then sliced (I used an Asian pear)
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (or stevia equivalent)

1. Divide the greens between two bowls. Rub 1 tablespoon walnut oil into the kale leaves in each bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Divide the pear slices and pomegranate seeds among the two bowls.
3. Combine the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, mustard, and sweetener in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the dressing thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour the warm dressing over the salads and serve.  The boiled dressing is truly worth making an extra pot dirty for. This recipe makes a colorful salad course for a special dinner. It’s that good.

Pomegranate and pickled-beet  salad
serves 4

• 2 bunches of  baby rocket
• seeds from 1 pomegranate
• 1 cup pickled beets, shredded
• ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, roasted
• optional: handful of red peppers, red berries, and onion

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons pickled beet juice
• 2 tablespoons walnut or macadamia nut oil ( or even olive oil)

1. Seed the pomegranate, chop the greens, and grate the beets.
2. Mix all the veggies but the pumpkin seeds.
3. In a small bowl beat together the mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. Taste and add lemon juice if needed. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and top with seeds.

Not apples, silly, these are pomegranates, growing in Medulin

Related link

• Pomegranate: Goddess of Love – Learn about pomegranate’s benefits to health. Recipe: Icy pomegranate green tea