How to eat pomegranate
Pomegranate or pomegranate if you prefer, its name already indicates abundance in the variety with which to define it: the Vocabulary of the Accademia della Crusca indicates in its first edition pomegranate when we talk about the fruit and pomegranate if we refer to the tree; but in the fifth edition, it is added that the masculine pomegranate also applies to the fruit, with various alternative lemmas such as pomegranate, garnet apple, garnet apple, garnet apple .
Great variety is also found in the use of pomegranate in the kitchen, a decidedly very versatile fruit for various preparations, from first courses to second courses, side dishes and even desserts.
The pomegranate is eaten both in purity, as it is, well peeled and clean, which is squeezed in juice, but is also used as a special ingredient in beans, especially for party recipes .
Its color, the fact that it is a good omen, its beneficial properties and antioxidants make it a much sought after fruit.
Let's follow a couple of recipes to taste it in the most original ways: a potato and pomegranate salad, which you can very well combine with octopus if you are not vegetarian, to be served as a warm appetizer; and a pink mascarpone and pomegranate sauce to give a special, non-alcoholic touch - so perfect for kids! - to your slices of panettone and pandoro.
Potato and pomegranate salad
Ingredients for 4 people:
> 5 yellow-paste potatoes;
> grains of half ripe pomegranate;
> an annurca apple;
> a stalk of white celery;
> pink salt, black pepper and a teaspoon of golden sesame seeds, extra virgin olive oil, organic lemon.
Preparation
Boil the potatoes in their skins for about 15-20 minutes; remove them from the heat and place them in a bowl of cold water. Cut the celery into small cubes, as well as the apple, and put these ingredients in a bowl together with the cleaned and cut potatoes into larger cubes and the red pomegranate grains.
Prepare the vinaigrette with a pinch of pink salt, the pepper, a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, half a squeezed lemon and the sesame: mix well and pour over the potatoes. Leave to rest for at least half an hour before serving, mixing the ingredients together well.
For a variant with a slightly stronger flavor, you can add onions cut into very thin slices; for the non-vegetarian variant, add slices of boiled octopus .
Pomegranate mascarpone cream
Ingredients for about 4 people:
> 250 g of mascarpone;
> 65 g of sugar;
> 2 eggs;
> half a glass of fresh pomegranate juice.
Preparation
Put the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar and mount them well with the electric whisk; in another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and in a third bowl work the mascarpone with the pomegranate juice to mix it well.
Add the mascarpone slowly to the frothy mixture of egg yolks and sugar, then gently incorporate the egg whites, stirring with a spatula from the bottom up. Leave to rest for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.
Anti-waste idea : the pink mascarpone cream thus obtained can also be used to make small tiramisu in coppette with panettone or advanced pandoro, decorating with fresh pomegranate grains.
Curiosity: the best time for the pomegranate is autumn, the season in which the fruit is harvested; depending on the climatic zone, the same varies from September to October and arrives until late November. The red beans, all well preserved, are traditionally served during Christmas and New Year holidays, as a sign of good omen.
Photo: Darius Dzinnik / 123rf.com
