The 411- Pomegranates on Meatless Monday

Oct 2014

According to myth, we suffer through winter because Persephone, the kidnapped daughter of Demeter {goddess of the harvest} was tricked into eating six pomegranate seeds while she was being held by Hades. When Demeter mourned for her, all green things ceased to grow. Zeus, being kingly and very in charge, could not allow the earth to perish, so Persephone was condemned to spending six months in the underworld, during which time the earth is barren. Now that we know Persephone and the pomegranate are responsible for all the formidable ugly winter weather New England is known for, let’s learn a bit more about this fruit du jour: Pomegranates on Meatless Monday.

The pomegranate is an ancient fruit with a rich history that has always been a part of the Middle Eastern diet. The fruit grows on a small bushy tree native to Iran and Iraq, and holds hundreds of tiny seeds, encased in a ruby pulp, that explode in your mouth with flavor. The tart juice is similar to cranberry, with a deeper taste. Nowadays, you can find the tree throughout the Mediterranean, parts of Asia, and Africa.

Pomegranates were everywhere when we visited a Mumbai market. The variety in India seemed to be filled with a greater amount of seeds then the ones we have here in the states.

Long thought to be a symbol of fertility, the ancient fruit appears in the diets of many cultures. Artists have often used it as a metaphor, and even today the juice is viewed as a natural remedy for increasing the chances of pregnancy.

Several years ago, outside of Hyderabad, India, I visited one of the few remaining weavers using natural dyes for his fabrics. The process is painstaking, and I was given a demonstration for the color of a beautiful, weathered red he used for much of the cloth. Here he boils the pomegranate skins and seeds to prepare the dye bath. The juice of the fruit stains indelibly, and was also used by ancient Egyptian women to color their lips.

Health claims abound about the leathery skinned fruit. The symptoms of heart disease, aging and cancer are all said to benefit from the sweet-tart juice. It’s loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium, folic acid and iron. Sounds like pomegranates have taken on the roll of new superfood.

Most of the fruit in the US comes from California, and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two months. You can find recipes for salads, soups, baked goods and cocktails all across the web-here are a few of my favorites.

You know I am a huge fan of Yotam Ottolenghi and his cookbook Plenty. This eggplant with buttermilk sauce topped with pomegranate seeds was a great starter for a recent dinner party.

Salads are a great spot to add the beautiful accent of the pomegranate seed. Toss together arugula, feta, roasted potatoes and seeds with your favorite dressing.

Finish up your meal with pomegranate frozen yogurt from the food blog of Cafe Fernando. This spot is so full of eye candy, you better pull up a chair. Cenk has many recipes for the fruit on his blog, and rumor has it that the author is coming out with a cookbook soon. I’ll keep you posted!

With pomegranates so plentiful in the marketplace, I’ve started adding them to just about everything. Sprinkled into my morning yogurt, or atop salads, they give a pop of color and just the right amount of crunch. I love the way they pop with flavor when you first bite down on the seeds.