This time of year you see still-life medleys of reds and golds, bulbous pomegranates perhaps sitting pretty front and centre. But it's a mistake to think of the pomegranate merely as a decoration. Certainly its spherical shape, hard calyx crown and leather-like texture add interest to a winter centrepiece, but only when you cut through the thin external shell and release the bright red jewels within can you appreciate the true beauty of this age-old fruit.
Thought to have originated in ancient Persia (present-day Iran), the pomegranate tree very early spread its shrub-like branches to other warm-climate countries, including Spain. The Spaniards are credited with bringing the fruit to the New World during the 16th century. The fruit grows well in the California heat.
With a history that stretches through millennia (some people think it was the pomegranate, not the apple, that Eve offered to Adam), the fruit remains a mystery to many Atlantic Canadians. So, let's change that.
The pomegranate season runs from September to January. Harvesting starts only when the fruits reach full maturity, so they are ripe and ready to eat when you see them in stores. Choose fruit with shiny skin ranging from pink through bright red. The heavier they are, the more juice they hold.
The fruit can be stored at room temperature in a non-humid environment for several days or even weeks, until it cracks open, indicating the peak of ripeness. At this point it should be refrigerated.
When the outer peel or skin is opened, the inside of this complex fruit is a labyrinth of fleshy white pith, forming the walls that separate the six sections that hold the arils, the edible juice sacks and seeds. The pith is bitter and should be discarded but the seed inside the fleshy red aril can be eaten, adding fibre to your diet.
To extend the pomegranate season, the arils can be placed in airtight containers and stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you want to scatter a few on salads, side dishes or desserts, just remove what you need and use without defrosting. They'll add colour, crunch and nutrients to a variety of dishes.
If you'd rather sip a pomegranate than eat it, you can juice it in two ways: cut a hole through the skin and insert a straw, or cut the fruit in half and press it, as you would an orange, on a citrus juicer. (An electric juicer isn't recommended-it may remove some of the bitter membrane.) You can also buy bottled pomegranate juice in stores.
When my tasters were invited over to sample the recipes that follow, I first offered them a glass of "pomwine," equal portions of pomegranate juice and chilled white wine. It was a refreshing beginning to the meal. (There are also pomegranate martinis, but that's another story.)
Given none of my four guests had ever tasted a pomegranate, there was much discussion as each dish was sampled. They loved the arils, which "just pop in your mouth." Napkins were tucked into collars to prevent staining from errant squirts of juice. The unanimous decision following the last sampling, the cheesecake, was that this tasting was the best one yet-until the next one, perhaps. It's a tough job but someone has to decree the calibre of these quality control sessions.
The last word goes to the fruit's nutritional impact. The pomegranate has been known for its healing qualities throughout centuries-the juice, arils, rind and bark have been used to treat a wide variety of conditions. In fact research over the past 10 years has shown that pomegranates contain some of nature's most effective antioxidants called polyphenols, which among other things may help to reduce the buildup of plaque in the arteries, lessening the risk of heart disease.
An ounce of jewel-tone prevention.
How to open a pomegranate
- Score the pomegranate into quarters and place in a large bowl of water.
- Break open the pomegranate underwater (otherwise juice may fly everywhere). Use fingers to dislodge the arils-they will sink to the bottom, and the inedible membrane will float to the top, sometimes with a little help from gentle stirring.
- Use a soup skimmer to remove small bits of floating membrane.
- Sieve arils and dry on paper towels.
- Eat or use in recipes; or place in an airtight container, such as a small freezer bag, and refrigerate or freeze for future use.
Recipes included in this article: