We just love the delicious, juicy, sweet-tart crunch of pomegranate seeds. Then there’s the way they look: those gorgeous little ruby-red gems, known as arils, bursting with flavour and colour, that turn our salads, main dishes, sides, rice dishes, grains and desserts into a box of jewels!
They’re also relatively low in calories and fat, another good reason to enjoy them while they’re in season.
How we like to enjoy pomegranate season in the Spice House
Fresh from the fruit
Sometimes simple is best. Eat the juicy seeds by the handful for a wonderfully fresh, sweet-tart treat.
In salads
Toss pomegranate seeds through spinach or rocket (arugula), add slices of orange, some goat’s cheese or feta, and finish with a few toasted nuts or seeds. A sprinkling of our Dukkah works beautifully here too.
At breakfast
Scatter the seeds over yoghurt, cottage cheese or porridge. They’re particularly lovely with overnight oats, and they make breakfast look rather special. We also like them sprinkled over toast spread with cream cheese or avocado.
As a garnish
Sprinkle those beautifully sweet, tart and crunchy seeds over roasted vegetables. They’re particularly good on rice dishes, grains and desserts!
Juicing
Squeeze or press those ruby-red seeds to make a refreshing drink, perfect for a warm Cyprus autumn afternoon.
Preserves
If you’re lucky enough to have an abundant harvest, pomegranates can be transformed into liqueurs, jams and marmalades to enjoy long after the season has passed.
Pomegranate molasses is one of our favourite things to make so we can enjoy it all winter.
How to make Pomegranate molasses
Our Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, about one large lemon
Instructions
- Boil the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When the juice boils, reduce the heat to medium-low. You should see the liquid boiling very gently in the middle.
- Let the mixture simmer for about an hour, uncovered. Stir occasionally to make sure that the sugars don’t stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
- After 45 minutes of simmering, you’ll notice that a lot of liquid has burned off. Reduce the heat very slightly and let it simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Take a spoon and dip it into the molasses. If it coats the spoon, the molasses is done cooking.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool for 30 minutes before pouring it into a jar. The mixture will still be runny, but don’t worry. The molasses thickens as it cools.
- This recipe should yield about 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses. Store the molasses in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
How we love to use our Pomegranate molasses in the spice house
That lovely sweet-and-sour tang makes pomegranate molasses a brilliant ingredient to keep on hand. Try it in salad dressings, whisk it into marinades, drizzle it over roasted vegetables, or stir a little through rice, couscous and other grains.
It’s also wonderful in dips. Muhammara is a particular Spice House favourite, and a drizzle can transform yoghurt, fruit, ice cream and other desserts.
And for something a little different? Stir a splash into fizzy water for a refreshing drink… or add a little to your G&T.
Sweet, tart, colourful and wonderfully versatile, that’s why we love pomegranate season in the Spice House.
