Two Perfect Pomegranate Recipes

Packed full of antioxidants and rich in vitamin C,pomegranate is the star ingredient of ourDay Cream. The small, ruby seeds, known as arils, are not only good for your skin but a delicious addition to food and drink.

Cooking with pomegranate is a super easy way to add some colour to your dishes and instantly level up your presentation skills. Just a few of these ruby jewels sprinkled on top will impress anyone sampling your cooking! I’ve come up with a quick, pomegranate quinoa salad that is bursting with flavour and a pomocktail to wash it down with. The only difficult bit is deseeding your pomegranate without turning your kitchen into a crime scene from CSI… Follow my tips and tricks below to choose the perfect pomegranate and deseed it like a pro. You’ll be able to enjoy your salad and mocktail without worrying about the clean up.

How to Pick and Deseed a Pomegranate

Choosing a good pomegranate can be tricky, so look out for smooth, shiny skin. The juiciest pomegranates will also feel heavy for their size.

There are a few different methods when it comes to removing pomegranate seeds. The juice can stain so I’d steer clearing of just giving it a whack with a spoon to release the seeds. Here’s my preferred method:

• Start by scoring the pomegranate from top to bottom four times so it is in quarters. Be careful not to cut into the seeds.
• Then, submerge the pomegranate into a bowl of water and tear the quarters apart.
• All the seeds will sink whilst the white stuff (pith) floats to the top.
• Discard of the pith and water.

If this sounds like too much hassle, you can always buy your pomegranate seeds separately - we won’t judge!

Pomegranate Quinoa Salad

Serves: 2 or 3-4 as a side.

Time: 10 minutes prep, plus 15 minutes cooking.

Gluten-free

Ingredients

3/4 cup quinoa

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup feta, crumbled

3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (1 pomegranate yields roughly 1 cup of seeds)

1 orange, cut into chunks

1/3 cup raw almonds

Cilantro, mint and parsley, to taste

1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180℃.
2. Spread the almonds out on a baking tray and drizzle with oil, before sprinkling with sea salt and black pepper.
3. Roast the almonds in the oven for approximately ten minutes.
4. Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and allow it to cool.
5. Whilst your quinoa is cooking, de-seed the pomegranate (check out the tips above).
6. Chop up your almonds once they have cooled and add these along with the orange, pomegranate seeds, feta, herbs, onion and raisins to the quinoa.
7. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the salad.
8. Mix your salad so all the ingredients are evenly distributed. The salad is best served cold so if your quinoa is still a little warm, pop it in the fridge to chill. Any leftovers can also be stored in the fridge for up to two days, although this salad is so tasty I wouldn’t bet on it hanging around for long!
   

Pomocktail

Makes: 1 litre

Time: 10 minutes prep plus freezing.

Vegan | Dairy-free | Gluten-free

Ingredients

3 tbsp pomegranate seeds (makes one tray of ice cubes)

Bunch of mint

2 limes, quartered

3 cups pomegranate juice

1 1/3 cups Sprite or 7UP

Method

1. Prep your ice cubes in advance by placing the pomegranate seeds in a tray and topping up with water. Top tip: for clearer ice cubes use distilled water and boil it twice.

2. Put aside some mint for decoration. Tear the rest of the mint and add to a jug with the lime quarters.

3. Use the back of a spoon to muddle the mint and limes to release the flavour. Then add the pomegranate juice. For a more intense flavour, leave the mixture in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to allow the mint and lime to infuse the pomegranate juice.

4. Strain the liquid through a sieve to remove limes and mint pieces before topping up with Sprite or 7UP.

6. Pour your mixture over the pomegranate ice cubes and garnish with mint.

So there you have it, two simple recipes using pomegranate! Let us know in the comments if you have any other ways you like to use this wonderful fruit.

Written by:

Jen Brunch Enthusiast| Horse Lover| Tea Fanatic