A bit of culture

Pomegranates are a fruit with a tough skin, reddened and blushed with a distinctive flare at the top. On the inside there are jewels of red which burst with juice as you bite into them. The pomegranate is thought to have originated in what we now call Iran and Afghanistan. It has significant religious meaning. In Christianity it is the symbol of the resurrection and the hope for new life. The abundance of seeds means that it also symbolises fertility. For Zoroastrians it symbolises the immortality of the soul. In Islam it symbolises beauty and in Buddhism it is one of the three blessed fruits.

Granada is Spanish for pomegranate and Granada the city is the crossroads for Islamic, Jewish and Christian history. Throughout the city the pomegranate motif makes frequent appearances.

As a motif it appears frequently throughout history. In the second half of the 19th Century it appeared on wallpaper as part of the arts and crafts movement in the UK. This wallpaper by William Morris was on display at the Tullies House Museum in Carlisle.

A bit of nutrition

Pomegranates have been valued for their medicinal properties for millennia. They are a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidants such as anthocyanins. The seeds have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions. In humans, pomegranate juice has been shown to be beneficial in managing diabetes and possibly heart disease. In rats, it has shown some promise in the treatment of irritable bowel disease. Pomegranate is a good source of Vitamins C, K, and folate. Definitely start to include pomegranates more regularly in your diet along with other “superfoods” such as berries and green tea.

A little bit of cooking

Pomegranates are becoming more available in supermarkets and green grocers. They vary in colour from pale yellow to vivid red. Select fruit that is heavy for its size. To remove the seeds, I just cut in half and bang the hard outer shell with a spoon. You can pop pomegranate seeds on top of avo and toast, pop a few in your gin and tonic or serve alongside olives. There are a couple of pomegranate products available one is pomegranate molasses which can be quite sweet but a useful addition to dressings. The other is grenadine - a pomegranate sugar syrup used in cocktails.

Below are two recipes one of my own for a bean salad and the other from Claudia Roden the queen of Middle Eastern cooking.

Bean, Pomegranate, and Almond Salad

Ingredients

Salad

Green beans - top and tail and blanch

Pomegranate seeds - remove and set aside

Flaked or slivered almonds - toast lightly

Dressing

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

1 lemon or lime zest and juice

1 finely chopped garlic clove

1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine and shake together. Toss with salad ingredients.

Aubergine (eggplant) Slices With Pomegranate, Yoghurt and Tahini

Claudia Roden - Arabesque

Ingredients

4 eggplant

olive oil

salt

1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

11/2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

500g natural yoghurt

1 garlic clove crushed

2 tablespoons tahini

50g pine nuts

Method

Cut the eggplants into slices about 1.5cm thick.

Place them on an oiled sheet of foil on a baking tray. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Roast in a very hot oven pre-heated to 240 degrees celsius for about 30 minutes until soft and browned.

Arrange on a shallow serving dish. Mix the pomegranate molasses, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of oil together and brush onto both sides of the eggplant.

Beat the yoghurt with the tahini and garlic and spread over the eggplant.

Brown the pine nuts. Sprinkle the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds over the eggplant.