Sing a Song of Pomegranates: Working the Fruit into Your Meals

An excellent source of Vitamin C, B5,  and Potassium, pomegranates are becoming more widely available in farmers’ markets, health food stores, and mainstream supermarkets. November was National Pomegranate Month, but with its hidden cache of festive red berries (known as arils) pomegranates can add great visual appeal to your holiday meals.

Also known as Chinese apples, this delicious fruit was originally cultivated in Persia.

If you think you’ve never tasted pomegranates you might be surprised to learn otherwise; thickened pomegranate juice is the main flavoring in grenadine syrup which adds sweetness and intensity to many cocktails.

Popular in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking, when the fruit is sliced open, dozens and dozens of juicy arils are revealed; tiny gem-like garnet colored “berries” that are the edible portion of the fruit.

One method of opening the fruit is to slice off the crown at the top of the pomegranate then cut the fruit into sections. Place the sections into a bowl of cool water and use your fingers to pluck out the tasty arils in the water to minimize mess.Then just strain out the water and eat.

The Pomegranate Council has some helpful photos featuring this pomegranate opening method here.

Steamy Kitchen has a nice video showing how to section your pomegranate so you can neatly free those tasty arils here.

Here’s Four of My Own Original Pomegranate Recipes

• Coconut Chipotle Mojo Shrimp With Pomegranate Relish
• Chicken Pomegranate Stuffed Shells With Gorgonzola Cream and Pine Nuts
• Pomegranate-Infused Ginger Chicken With Sesame Scallion Dumplings
• Pomegranate French Toast Frittata With Coriander-Pomegranate Bacon

Some Interesting Pomegranate Recipes by Others

• Pomegranate Jam
• Pomegranate and Almond Rice
• Lamb with Cardamom and Pomegranate Sauce
• Panko-Crusted Turkey Breasts with Pomegranate-Pear Sauce
• Pomegranate Orange Pastries with Honey Glaze
• Pomegranate & Strawberry Chilled Soup
• Pomegranate Green Tea Brownies w/ Piñon
• Pomegranate Frozen Yogurt
  Marcona Almond Encrusted Chicken Fingers with a Creamy Pomegranate Dipping Sauce
• Pomegranate Chocolates with Cinnamon and Coriander
• Persephone’s Delight
• Mixed Baby Greens with Pomegranate Seeds, Gorgonzola and Pecans
  With A Pomegranate Vinaigrette
• Pomegranate Panna Cotta
• Pomegranate Curd Tart
• Pomegranate Green Gram Salad (Madulam Pachai Payaru Sundal)
• Spiced Apple and Pomegranate Pie

Even More Pomegranate Recipes

• 43 Recipes From The Pomegranate Council
• 20 Recipes From Pomegranate World
• 145 Recipes From Pom Wonderful

Enjoy!