You would think getting a kid to eat this crazy fruit would have been a challenge. They are weird looking (if not scary) and yet, I adored them. As an adult, loving them has been a little tougher. Mostly because they become a logistical nightmare when harvesting those ruby seeds filled with their fabulous elixir.
I have tried all sorts of technique for de-seeding pomegranates, including Martha Stewart’s wooden spoon method. Sadly, I am so un-coordinated that I end up smacking myself more than the spoon. Don’t believe me? I splashed hot oil all of my right wrist last night and gave myself a first degree burn!
I start off opening the pomegranate like Martha, cutting slits along the top and inserting a knife inside so it breaks in half…
… I painstakingly remove the seeds into a bowl with my fingers. Then I fill the bowl with water and try and remove the white fleshy bits from the seeds. I do not do this often, this is a treat for us especially when they are $3.50 each at my grocery store.
My question to you is, what do you do with these little seeds when it comes to recipes? Can you bake with them? Do you just nibble on them individually? I would love to hear your ideas! I personally love to put them in my strawberry spinach salad in the winter. I replace the strawberries with these little jewels, making that salad all the more special.
I would love to hear your ideas! These are so good for you and I would love to utilize them more than I do.
well, short answer, come look at my blog. I am hosting a POM party tonight. I have 7 dishes being made as we speak. Everything from cheese to fish to pork to bread.
Add em to a salad or eat like candy. The Arils can be used as accents mostly, but dump em in a blender and make juice (strain it). Then you can make a sweet grenadine sauce, a spicy Pomegranate Chipotle sauce, A Balsomic/pomegranate reduction, a Chocolate/pomegranate sauce…
As in most things, the secret is in the sauce. I have several experiments up (including an easier way to open a pomegranate… put the whole thing in water as you separate the Arils. Your kitchen will not look like you slaughtered a dog in it). But most of the good recipes will be posted after my party.
Sounds fantastic! What an ambitious foodie project you are participating in tonight. OK, sounds like that’s pretty much all to be done with pomegranates. I am not really into fruit sauces unless it’s for dessert. I didn’t have the juicy spray issue last time but you’re right, separating the seeds underwater will help minimize mess. Thanks for the comment and good luck with the dinner!
It’s funny, I’m with you, when I was a kid I used to love to eat pomegranates. My Mom and I would sit and watch t.v. and just dig into them with our hands and be covered in red juice. Now that I’m an adult, I can’t tell you the last time I had one! ???????????
I like them on meats. Any type of meats, but especially pork and lamb. I had them this way in a Greek dish in Washington DC and was hooked.
Here in the US we can get pomegranate seeds either fresh or frozen at Trader Joe’s. So we don’t have to do the work 🙂 xoO
Me too Brenda! Oh I remember the red fingertips. I try and buy once a year and have fun with them. Olivia, that’s interesting! I like the idea of them sprinkled on a dish like that. Oh wow, I can’t imagine getting them without doing all that work! Sweet!
I love pomegranate seeds!! I used to eat them when I was little with sugar sprinkle on top… nowadays I have lots of pomegranate trees in my countryhouse and every year me and my mother we do pomegranate liquer!!! it’s amazing and really common here in Greece…:)
We’re just nibblers too. I just love the pure taste of the jelly like seeds, so refreshing. You should see my kitchen after the kids have been eating them, looks like a massacre scene, especially with the white countertops LOL.
oh yum i had one last night~i generally take a small slice off top and bottom and just slowly peel it then add a small pot of organic natural yogurt to the seeds.
i hate the faffing about getting the seeds but it is os worth it in the end.
i have one left and one pot of yogurt which i am saving for tomorrow night!
my son is crazy for pomegranate seeds! he just comes home from school, scores off the top of the pomegranate, cuts along the white “compartments”, plops it into water and puts it into a colendar.
Then, he gets all of the seeds and just enjoys eating them plain…and he has filled his lunch box with them this week:)
…and I reap the benefits of having the pomegranate seeds ready to steal:)