In Good Taste: Pomegranetes
“Guarded treasure, honeycomb partitions,
Richness of flavour,
Pentagonal architecture.
The rind splits; the seeds fall -
Crimson seeds in azure bowls….”
Andre Gide - The Lay of the Pomegranate, Fruits of the Earth
Pomegranates are the colour of rich autumn leaves. Both exotic and representative of fertility, they are a surprise in their taste and texture.
I planted a pomegranate bush after seeing them growing very attractively in Italy. Branches bearing fruit and leaves were used to decorate the walls of a restaurant, and I knew we would have to have one of our own. It hasn’t fruited yet, and who knows if it will. They produce their best fruit when grown in hot, sunny Mediterranean-style climates, and Rangihaeata may not cut the mustard.
When I see pomegranates for sale they are irresistible, and sit in a bowl looking beautiful for ages before being used. Their long shelf life made them popular supplies on long journeys by desert caravan through Africa and on early sea voyages to America. Lasting up to seven months if kept in a cool shady spot, their flavour and juiciness only improve, and the refreshing taste must have been such a treat to those desert wanderers. If you forget to eat the fruit, just allow them to continue browning slowly and place them in a bowl with some cinnamon quills, dried bay leaves, star anise and some tiny pine cones, and you have an exotic pot pourri.
If you are a Campari-and-soda kind of person then try using pomegranate juice instead of orange juice to perfectly complement this sweet and sour drink. The best way to remove the seeds is to cut the fruit in half width-wise and hold each half above a plate with the seed side facing down. Now release all your tensions by whacking it on the skin with a strong wooden spoon. Continue until the seeds miraculously rain down. Easy: just don’t hit your own hand.
The seeds are used in both sweet and savoury dishes and will enhance salads gorgeously when you scatter a handful of these ruby-red jewels over the top. Watermelon, feta, red onion and pomegranate salad looks rich and inviting. Nigella makes an interesting dessert called “Massacre in a snowstorm”: simply softly whipped cream with crushed meringues and pomegranate seeds folded through five minutes before serving.
Added to Moroccan meals, these seeds are perfectly at home. They add taste and texture to couscous when stirred through with a large bunch of mint at the last minute. This could accompany any lamb or chicken dish, as the sweet/tartness marries so well with these meats. For a refreshing dessert sprinkle the seeds over slices of peeled oranges and serve with fresh dates.
Experiment and enjoy the uniqueness of this fruit that has so many legends attached to its name. As Persephone was tempted, so you will be…without the consequences!
A warm salad of eggplant and pomegranate
2 longish eggplants (only choose firm, glossy, unblemished
eggplant), sliced lengthwise into 6 wedges and blanched.
2 small red onions, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
the juice and zest of 2 lemons
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1½ cups of Italian parsley leaves, roughly torn (could also
use winter chicory)
200g feta cheese
1 pomegranate cut in half. Juice one half and beat the
seeds out of the second half.
1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar
Warmed Turkish bread to serve
Heat the oven to 200°C. Mix 2 tablespoons of the oil with the lemon juice and garlic and toss the eggplant and onion through the mix. Place in one layer in a roasting dish and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender and golden. You may have to remove the onion if it browns too soon before the eggplant. Set the dish aside to cool a little while you assemble the salad. Place the parsley leaves in a large bowl. Add the remaining olive oil, pomegranate juice and vinegar and mix through. Add the warm eggplant and onion and any baking dish juices and fold together gently. Pile onto a serving platter and crumble the feta over the top. Finally sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds, break off a piece of bread and enjoy.
Fiona Feasey
