Although revered and held sacred by many religions and cultures since ancient times, the pomegranate was never on my radar growing up in eastern Canada.
At some point, as pomegranates became more available in grocery stores in Canada, I started noticing them, particularly from September to January when the ones grown in California are in season. The more I saw whole pomegranates in the shops, the more I noted their sculptural appeal. A thick leathery peel in shades of red, pink, yellow, orange and purple. An odd shape, bumpy and uneven with a funny tiny crown at one end. The first time I picked one up I was surprised by the unexpected weight. Evidence, I would later discover, of hundreds of seeds inside.
Still, the pomegranate remained mysterious and unfamiliar. I knew nothing about its rich history and it would be years before I would finally taste one.
The pomegranate is one of the world’s oldest fruits, believed to have originated in Persia as far back as 2000 B.C. and has been the source of inspiration for cultures all over the world. It’s represented in Greek and Roman mythology, biblical texts, Chinese folktales and in the sacred writings of Islam, and the fruit of choice on Rosh Hashana. Some scholars still debate whether the apple in the Garden of Eden was in fact a pomegranate!
In the art world, the pomegranate is found in sculpture, architecture, stained glass, mosaics, ceramics and textiles and depicted in paintings - usually in the hands of the Virgin Mary, the infant Jesus or a Greek goddess.
The first time I tasted pomegranate was unforgettable. Someone served me a festive cocktail brightened with tiny ruby-red jewels. When I bit into one it released a wonderful sweet-sour juice in my mouth. Now the pomegranate really had my attention!
When I finally broke open a pomegranate I was entranced. Inside, hundreds of tiny red seeds, separated and hiding in a waxy membrane and spongy white pith.
The seeds’ healing properties have been extolled since ancient times and current research confirms their remarkable nutritional benefits. Lately, they outshine blueberries in terms of super-food status. They’re high in levels of antioxidants, rich in vitamin C, K, B-complex and in minerals such as copper, calcium and potassium.
The seeds are very versatile. They add colour, flavour and texture to salad, cocktails, dessert, roasted vegetables and grain dishes. You can turn them into juice, eat them by the spoonful or sprinkle them on your morning oatmeal. You can even make pomegranate molasses.
Getting to those seeds can be a messy business if you don’t have a good technique. Here’s an excellent method to deseed a pomegranate:
You need a knife, a large bowl and a wooden spoon.
Pomegranate juice stains! Protect your clothing as if you were about to paint.
Roll the pomegranate around to loosen the seeds from the peel.
Score the peel around the middle of the fruit, horizontally, with a sharp knife. Do not cut through into the seeds.
Gently break open into two halves.
Hold half of the pomegranate, with the seeds facing down, over a large bowl and thwack the skin with a wooden spoon.
Gently squeeze to encourage the release of the seeds from the white membrane as you continue to thwack.
Remove remaining seeds with your fingers or a spoon.
Remove any bits of pith from the bowl.
Store seeds in a container in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer.
To freeze, spread seeds in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer, uncovered, for about two hours. Transfer seeds to an airtight container and return to freezer. They should keep for several months.
Whole pomegranates look beautiful in a bowl on a counter top and will keep like that for up to two weeks. Keep them in the refrigerator for a few months.
