How to Cook Pomegranates
Most readily available from August through December, pomegranates are intimidating to some cooks. The fruit's skin can be lightly green colored or bright pink, but it is the red seeds inside that we eat. Getting at the seeds, called arils, and removing them from the skin and membrane of the fruit is the tricky part. Once free, however, the seeds can be eaten fresh (uncooked) or pureed and strained for their juice. They ripen completely on the tree, which means they are ready to eat when you buy them. Store a whole pomegranate at room temperature for one week or in the refrigerator for up to one month. The seeds, once removed, can be stored in a container in the fridge for three days. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Cut off the crown of the fruit with a knife and score the skin into sections.
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Place the scored pomegranate in a bowl of cold water and break it apart with your hands, releasing the seeds, the arils, with your fingers as you go. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl, but the skin and membranes will float to the top.
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Scoop out the floating fruit pieces and drain the water from the bowl -- now you have a bowl of arils.
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4
Use whole arils raw in salads, desserts and salsas.
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5
Puree arils in a food processor and strain the puree through cheesecloth to get pomegranate juice. This can be used in vinaigrette, syrup, soup, desserts, alcoholic beverages, you name it. See recipe links below.
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Tips & Warnings
Pomegranate juice stains, so handle them carefully to avoiding bursting a seed and staining your clothing or dishtowels.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.sxc.hu/photo/892529
