How to Prepare and Eat Pomegranates

Pomegranates!

Pomegranates are making a comeback.  Not only are they delicious and healthy, but inside that hard shell lies a bountiful amount of little red berries that will add beautiful color to nearly everything.

First, let’s talk about how to open these sexy things.  The best way to do it is to first cut off the top so you have a flat surface.  Lay it down on the flat side and score the skin from top to base five times around the fruit.  Put the fruit in a bowl of water and gently pull it apart.  The seeds will sink to the bottom and the skin and pith will float to the top.  Remove the floaters.  Drain the water from the bowl by pouring the seeds into a sieve.  Rinse the seeds under cold water and you’re ready to go!

Now, what to do with those beautiful berries?

Like any berry, pomegranate seeds make delicious additions to stand-by recipes.  Toss them in salads, oatmeal, muffins, scones, breads, cookies, chicken and turkey dishes, ice cream, fruit salads, cakes, or just eat them plain.  You can turn the seeds into juice and drink it as well, which is absolutely delicious.

Three words for you:  Pomegranate Tangerine Cocktail.  Best.  Thing.  Of.  My.  Life.

Pomegranates do wonders for your skin, whether it be acne, anti aging, or just rejuvenation.  You can get these benefits by consuming the fruit or simply rubbing pomegranate juice on areas of the skin that need special attention.

Unfortunately, not much can be done with the shell of the pomegranate.  It’s not edible and doesn’t have many uses outside containing the seeds.  For color and a subtle scent, you could add the shell to a mix of water, cinnamon, orange peel, and nutmeg and let it simmer on your stove.

For beautiful bowl displays or dried floral arrangements, you can simply dry pomegranates like this:  Purchase the freshest pomegranates you can find—make sure there is now sponginess or bruising.  Puncture the rind multiple times with a pin—try to do it in vertical and parallel patterns, not random pokes.  Let the fruit dry on wire racks for three weeks or more.  Once dry, they should be about one-third their original size and more brownish pink than red.  They should also feel very light.  Place them in a bowl with pinecones, cinnamon sticks, nuts, evergreen branches, etc for a striking table display.  You could even spray paint some of them with metallic gold to make them stand out.  These dried pomegranates will last about 2 months.

Here’s an example…

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