07 January 2010

winter jewels


I think a lot of people shy away from pomegranates in the stores. They're expensive, can be messy, and they're not exactly ready-to-eat. But we all know they're full of antioxidants, they're tasty, and at least in my house--kids love 'em. If you haven't tried one, or it's been a while, here's a rundown of how I uncover those juicy little rubies.
Score the rind in quarters. You don't want to cut too deep, but you want to get all the way through the rind. You should feel a give when you break through it.

Place the pom in a bowl of water. The water helps to control any juicy splatters. (Oh yeah, you probably shouldn't wear your best clothes when you do this--just in case.) Use your thumbs to pry the quarters apart. This takes some pressure. Don't be afraid to rip it apart, just try to keep it in the water.



Once the quarters are apart, use your fingers to gently release the seed pods from the membrane. Here you need to use care, because you don't want to squish those tender bits. Just drop them to the bottom of the bowl as you pluck them off.

Once you get them all out, drain the water and bits of membrane, dry if you like, and eat!

They never last long enough in my house to get past eating them fresh out of the bowl, but I've heard some people use them in recipes. Salads and cocktails, mainly, but I'm sure if you do a search you'll get lots of ideas.

Enjoy. Be healthy.