Frozen Pomegranates + Salad

For some reason, I’d been under the impression that pomegranates weren’t available after December…but thankfully I was wrong!

Still, it’s just my luck that when I start to crave them, their time is coming to an end. Apparently the official pomegranate season (at least in the U.S.) is from October through January. Being that I really wanted to make a dish that included pomegranate seeds, I had to get on the ball and pick some up before the pickin’s got slimmer..

What's cool though, is that pomegranates can last up to 1-2 months in the fridge and the seeds can be frozen for up to three! So it’s safe to say I stocked up…there might be a few more pomegranate related dishes on the horizon…

* * *

The first time I’d had pomegranate, I was about 9. My best friend Ruba had brought in a little ziploc bag full of pomegranate seeds for show and tell. I thought they were beautiful.

Unfortunately, divided amongst the whole class, we each only got to try about 3 or 4 lol, so I couldn’t get the full gist of them…but I was intrigued none the less…

That fascination quickly turned into frustration after my mom actually brought home a whole pomegranate...

After trying to eat one from scratch, I found the fruit incredibly pointless. All that work, only to end up with a few juicy seeds (half had been crushed or had fallen to the floor) and blood-red stained fingers? No thanks.

Only after the whole pomegranate juice, superfood craze did I even consider warming up to pomegranates again, and I’m glad I did. Once I learned the right way to handle them, they've been a breeze and add a nice touch to a variety of dishes.

And of course, it doesn’t hurt that they’re loaded with anti-oxidants…

So here's what I learned about Pomegranates:

• They're in season in the states from mid fall – Dec/January



• They should be heavy for their size



• The rind shouldn’t be cracked or shriveled, as this indicates an overripe fruit



• They can be juiced like an orange!



• Craving pomegranate out of season? You can freeze the seeds for up to three months*



• If you’re not planning on freezing them, keep pomegranates at room temp, they last several days and their flavor will be much more intense…

Here’s the painless (and stain-less) way to open a pomegranate:
You’ll need a sharp knife and a large bowl of cold water…

1. cut off the top of the pomegranate and score the rind in 4-6 places

2. place the fruit in a large bowl of cool water and gently break it open along the score marks

3. gently ease the seeds out of the pith and into the water

4. the seeds will sink to the bottom and the pith/rinds will float to the surface

5. skim off the pith and then drain seeds

*Freeze in a single layer on trays. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and return to freezer.

Will last up to 3 months.

Thawing isn’t a problem, they reach room temp pretty quickly.


In the end, I realized that the original dish that prompted my sudden hankering for pomegranates would be just a little too time consuming today, so I’ll have to save it for another time. After some research and fiddling and tweaking, I settled on this salad instead, and I think turned out pretty well…but I’ll let you can be the judge of that…

Here’s my recipe if you’d like to try it:



Jeweled Orange and Avocado Salad
2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
1 cup baby spinach
1 bunch of watercress, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 avocado (whatever kind is in season), sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Dressing
2 tbsp. olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon or 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt

Whisk the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add the salad ingredients and toss until well coated.

Serves four

Enjoy!