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Pork Chops with Pomegranate and Fennel Salsa
Ingredients
1 lb fennel bulb (sometimes called anise), stalks cut off and discarded
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick) pork chops
Halve fennel bulb lengthwise and core it, then cut into 1/4-inch dice. Cook fennel in 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer fennel to a bowl and stir in pomegranate seeds, scallions, cilantro, vinegar, honey, and salt.
Pat pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chops until deep golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer chops to plates and let stand, loosely covered, 5 minutes.
Serve chops topped with salsa.
Roast Chicken with Pomegranate and Hazelnuts
Ingredients
Salt the skin on two medium-sized chicken breasts and place, skin side down, in a hot pan with a little extra virgin olive oil. Fry on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes until the skin is crisp. Place in a preheated 190C oven, still skin side down, for 6-8 minutes depending on the size of the breasts. Remove from the oven and place the breasts in a bowl, resting for a few minutes. Make a dressing by whisking together 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a teaspoon of pomegranate molasses. To serve, chop some rocket leaves and make a bed on a platter or individual plates. Slice the chicken and put on top. Spoon on the dressing and finish with half a cup of chopped, roasted and peeled hazelnut kernels and some fresh pomegranate seeds.
Serves 2.
Pomegranate Pork
Ingredients
2 small pork tenderloins, fresh
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 C. red wine
juice of 1 fresh pomegranate
1 t. Sugar
1/2 C. cleaned pomegranate pieces
1. Slice pork into medallions about 1/2 inch thick. Use the palm of your hand to flatten them out so they’re all about the same thickness.
2. Lay them out on a plate, drizzle with a touch of olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
3. When it’s time to cook, heat a large saute pan over a medium high burner. Slide in the pork medallions one at a time. Cook on both sides till lightly browned and just cooked. Place the cooked pork on serving plates and keep in a low oven.
4. Place the pan back on the medium high burner and add the wine, deglazing the pan. Then add the pomegranate juice and sugar. Let the juice simmer, reducing just a bit, then add the pomegranate pieces. Stir to just heat them through.
5. Spoon the sauce over the portions of plated pork medallions and serve immediately.
Tip:
Juicing a pomegranate is easy. Just cut it in half and juice it like you would an orange.
Fresh pomegranate juice works best in this recipe. Keep in mind that there are commercial brands of pomegranate glaze available in grocery store. If you use it, eliminate the granulated sugar and also use the juice of just half a fresh pomegranate and an equal amount of the glaze.
Pomegranate Cheesecake
Ingredients
2 5.3 ounce (150 gram) packages Walker’s Original Shortbread
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 pounds cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract (I like the paste better)
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons pomegranate juice concentrate
(or, you can use 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses)
Topping Ingredients:
1/3 cup pomegranate juice concentrate
2 tablespoons Baktat pomegranate spread or pomegranate molasses
the seeds from one large pomegranate
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using a food processor, grind up the shortbread, almonds and ground cardamom into fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl, drizzle with melted butter and toss together with a fork until they are evenly blended.
3. Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and partly up the sides of a ten inch springform pan, and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for fifteen minutes. (Bake for ten minutes if you have a convection oven.)
4. Remove from oven and cool completely.
5. Turn oven down to 300 degrees, and place a roasting pan or baking pan full of water into the bottom rack. (This creates a moist environment in the oven and helps keep the top of the cheesecake from drying out and cracking or becoming rubbery.)
6. Beat together the cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended and light and fluffy on high speed. Beat for two minutes. Scrape down bowl and beat for another thirty seconds.
7. Whisk together eggs and egg yolks and add to mixture with the pomegranate juice concentrate or pomegranate molasses. Beat on medium speed for about one minute to combine thoroughly. Scrape down bowl and beat for thirty more seconds.
8. Pour filling into pan, and place on the center oven rack. Bake for one hour and fifteen minutes (50 minutes if you have a convection oven) until the cake appears golden and set. A tester inserted into the center should come out looking dry. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for eight hours.
9. To serve, remove from refrigerator and wipe down the outside of the springform pan with a towel dampened with very hot water. Dip a table knife or icing spatula in hot water, wipe it dry and run it around the interior edge of the pan, loosening the sides of the cake. Unlock the spring, and remove the side of the pan.
10. Blend together the juice concentrate and pomegranate spread with a whisk. Pour over the top of the cake, making certain to drizzle some of it artfully over the sides in decorative rivulets. Sprinkle the top of the cake thickly with pomegranate seeds, until it resembles a geode encrusted with garnet crystals. Serve on plates upon which pools of the pomegranate syrup have been poured, if desired.
Beef Carpaccio With Pomegranate
Ingredients
12 oz whole beef tenderloin (340g)
1 bunch of arugula, torn
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt to season
Cracked black pepper to season
Grana Padano shavings
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 x lemon, juiced
1. Beef Carpaccio With Pomegranate. Wrap your beef tenderloin in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This makes it easier to cut the beef.
2. Cut beef into 1/4-inch slices and place each slice between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. With a beef pounder, flatten out the beef until it is paper thin.
3. Remove from plastic wrap and place on a large plate. Add a few arugula leaves, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and Grana Padano cheese shavings over the raw meat.
Add a generous amount of pomegranate seeds and freshly squeezed lemon juice, just before serving.
Honey-Rose Ice Cream with Pomegranate Syrup
Ingredients
1/2 cup mild honey
6 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp rose water
1/4 cup candied rose petals - recipe below
Pomegranate syrup - recipe below
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the honey with the egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.
Add the rosewater to your milk, bring the mixture to a simmer in a heavy medium-sized sauce pan. Remove from the heat and slowly beat the hot liquid into the honey mixture. Briefly rinse your saucepan and rub dry with paper towel or cloth. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from the heat and pour the hot honey custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl. Allow the custard to cool slightly, about five minutes, then stir in the cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold (about 5 hours) or overnight.
Stir the chilled custard, then freeze in 1 or 2 batches in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add 1/4 cup candied rose petals to the machine when the cream is semi frozen. Allow the machine to mix in the flowers.When finished, the ice cream will be soft but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 3 hours.
Variation: Instead of rose water you can use orange blossom water. Instead of candied rose petals you can also use candied violet petals.
Candied Rose Petals:
2 organic roses, petals removed
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Brush both sides of each rose petal with the beaten egg white and dip in the sugar. Let dry on the wax paper.
Pomegranate Syrup
4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, approximately 50 minutes. It should be the consistency of syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
This recipe was adapted from: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book.
Duck Breasts with Pomegranate
Ingredients
1 duck breast (about 400 - 500 g / 14 - 16 oz)
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons dried chives
3 pomegranates
Salt
Prepare the Juice of 2 pomegranates. Using a small, sharp knife, cut out the blossom end of the fruit and score the skin in quarters. Working over a bowl, break the fruit in half, using the scored lines as a guide. Break the halves into quarters. Do not cut, as the knife can puncture the kernels, releasing their juice. Scoop out the kernels with a spoon. Pass the kernels through a potato masher or a vegetable mill. In this way you'll obtain a juice without any seed. Remove the kernels from the third pomegranate and put aside. Put oil and chives in a saucepan. Remove skin from duck breast, half it, arrange in saucepan, season with salt and brown on all sides. Douse with the pomegranate juice and allow to evaporate over a fierce heat for few minutes.
Add a ladle of hot water, half-cover and keep cooking over moderate heat until meat is tender. Cooking time depends on the quality of your duck breast. Take care the breast does not dry up and there is plenty of flavorsome sauce. Remove meat from pan, carve into thick slices and arrange slices in saucepan again. Add kernels of the third pomegranate and return to heat for a few minutes to amalgamate the flavors. Serve.
What's the right wine?
Our suggestion is: Primitivo di Manduria (a red wine from Apulia - Italy).
Pomegranate, Mint, Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
1 medium cucumber
2 tbsp chopped mint
1 scallion
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Chopped fresh mint and scallions, a combination that is already quite fascinating—pungent, green, with a cooling peppery facet. Slice cucumber thinly and tossed with the lemon juice, olive oil, minced herbs, salt and pepper. While cucumber was steeping in its lemony vinaigrette, cut pomegranate in half over a large bowl. Separated in quarters and remove seeds leaving the white pith behind. This step is best done wearing black clothes/apron, unless you do not mind magenta stains. Before serving the salad, sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top and toss lightly.
Serves 2
French Green Beans with Pomegranates,
Goat Cheese and Almonds
Ingredients
Juice from 1 large pomegranate or 1/3 cup
100% Pure Pomegranate Juice Concentrate
1/3 cup arils from 1 large Pomegranate
1-2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds fresh green beans, stems removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces sliced goat cheese
1. Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl, and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup of arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
2. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice or set aside
Pomegranate Juice Concentrate
.
3. Place oil in a wok or large skillet and heat until hot. Stir-fry the beans with the lemon peel for 6 minutes.
4. Add the almonds and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Toss beans with reserved pomegranate arils and pomegranate juice; turn onto a serving platter.
7. Arrange goat cheese slices over the top and serve.
Nutrition information: Nutrition facts per serving (5.2 ounces): 185 calories, 8 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrate, 12g total fat (5 grams saturated), 15milligrams cholesterol, 295 milligrams sodium
Roasted Salmon with Pomegranate-Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
coriander
2 tsp sugar
Salt, as needed
1 pomegranate, seeded
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp finely chopped jalapeno pepper or to taste
1 large clove garlic, chopped finely
2 avocados cut in 1/2-inch dice
1 head heart of romaine, about 7 ounces
4 center-cut salmon fillets the same thickness, 6 to 7 ounces each
1 lime, cut in eighths for garnish
1. Mix coriander, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt; reserve.
2. Up to 4 hours before serving, mix pomegranate seeds, onion, lime juice, jalapeno, and garlic; gently fold in avocado. If holding more than 30 minutes, put plastic wrap against the surface of the salsa, then tightly cover; store in the refrigerator. Remove about 30 minutes before serving.
3. Separate the romaine leaves; wash, then dry thoroughly. Reserve 4 of the most attractive for garnish. Slice the remaining leaves crosswise in thin shreds; reserve.
4. To prepare the salmon, rub a generous teaspoon of the reserved seasoning mixture over each piece. Arrange the salmon on a baking sheet, skin-side down. Roast at 500° F about 11 minutes for medium rare (Salmon should be spongy when pressed with a finger at its thickest part.) and 13 minutes for medium-well (Salmon should be just firm when pressed with a finger at its thickest part.).
5. While the salmon cooks, mound 1/4 the shredded romaine on each of 4 serving plates. Top with 1/2 cup salsa. When salmon is done let it cool slightly; it should be warm but not hot. Put a piece of salmon on each plate; garnish each with a reserved romaine leaf and 2 lime wedges.
Recipe by California Pomegranates.
How To Select The Perfect Pomegranate
Enjoy more Delicious Free Pomegranate recipes at California Pomegranates.
Foods For Flawless Skin
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