Recipes
Ingredient of the Month
December: Pomegranate
This sweet and tangy fruit is best known for its crimson red seeds, which are juicy and refreshing and add a special twist to basic recipes.
Buying: Select a brightly colored pomegranate that has tinges of brown on its skin. It should be large and unblemished.
Storing: Left out at room temperature, pomegranates will last for a couple of days. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Preparing: Slice the skin of the pomegranate into four equal parts, and then gently open the fruit. You can eat the seeds directly or you can scoop them out with a spoon, placing them in a bowl.
Pomegranate Granite
Ingredients:
7 or 8 small pomegranates
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Method:
Set a food mill inside a bowl. Roll the pomegranates firmly on your work surface to break their membranes. Quarter the pomegranates. Remove the seeds, reserving about 20 and transferring the rest into the mill, taking care not to pick out all of the white membranes. Process the seeds, being careful not to splash the juice because it stains. You should have 1 ½ cups of juice.
Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan, stir, and simmer over low heat until the sugar dissolves, 2 minutes. Let cool. Pour the syrup, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice into a 10-inche-square by 2-inch-deep pan.
Freeze for at least 2 ½ hours, scraping the mixture with a fork every half hour to break it into ice crystals. When ready to serve, use the edge of the fork to scrape the shavings into a fluffy ice, or scoop the shavings with an ice-cream scoop.
To serve, divide the granite among 4 bowls and garnish with reserved seeds. This is especially stunning served in martini glasses.