Right now through the end of January, it’s pomegranate season. These seed-filled fruits have a sweet-and-sour taste and a jewel-like appearance. Although extracting the ruby-red seeds takes a little time, the taste is worth it.
Pomegranates have been popular throughout the Middle East since ancient times. They are actually referenced in the Old Testament, and some historians believe that the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was a pomegranate. On the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, freshly squeezed pomegranate juice is a popular street food. Here in America, pomegranate juice has been marketed as a health tonic, and has reached a wide audience in recent years. You can find it in many supermarkets.
In spite of the popularity of the juice, I still meet lots of people in my cooking classes who have never tasted a fresh pomegranate. Maybe that’s because the fruit seems so intimidating to cut into. Here are two tried-and-true methods for getting to the beautiful fruit inside the tough, red skin:
1) Using a sharp knife, cut the skin from the pomegranate the same way you would an apple. Cut the peeled pomegranate in half, then break it into small pieces. Let each person take a piece and pull the seeds out themselves.
2) Cut the pomegranate in halves or in quarters. Hold a piece of the cut fruit over a large bowl and hit it hard with the back of a spoon until all of the seeds pop out. Repeat with the remaining pomegranate pieces.
There are many ways to cook with pomegranates. You can juice them, make pomegranate sorbet, use the thickened juice known as “pomegranate syrup” or “pomegranate molasses” as the base of a stew, or add the seeds to salads. When choosing fresh pomegranates, look for fruits that are smooth and firm, with a little bit of give.
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credit: Jennifer Martine
Below is a recipe from my cookbook, Lucid Food, for a simple salad that features pomegranate seeds. As you’ll see in this recipe, the red seeds make any dish look festive. Before the season ends, go out and get a fresh, juicy pomegranate!
Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad
from Lucid Food: Cooking For An Eco-Conscious Life
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers, peeled, halved, and seeds removed
- Seeds of 1 pomegranate
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, green parts only
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Cut the cucumbers into slices 1/4 inch thick.
Put the cucumber slices in a bowl with all but 4 tablespoons of the pomegranate seeds. Add the scallions, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Toss and season with salt.
To serve, divide the salad among bowls and top with the crumbled feta, a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds, and a few grinds of pepper.
Louisa Shafia is a cook with a passion for healthy eating. She recently penned Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life, a collection of seasonal recipes and eco-friendly advice on food. To watch her cooking videos, see her recipes, and find out about her cooking classes, go to lucidfood.com.