HOW-TO: Pomegranates

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 Pomegranates are gorgeous... Little sparkling seeds bursting with a tart, sweet, refreshing flavor. The only problem is how to open them! Fear no more, the great domestic goddess Martha Stewart has a foolproof method of pomegranate seed extraction.

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Be careful:  pomegranate juice stains! Put on an old t-shirt or an apron, just in case. CAUTION: the juice stains wooden cutting boards, so use a plastic board. You can use lemon juice, which is acidic, to remove any cutting board stains. 

Facts:

-Pomegranates originated in Persia (modern day Iran), and some historical scholars believe that it was the pomegranate, not the apple, that the Bible references as the fruit which Adam and Eve ate.

- The word comes from the Latin word pomum, meaning apple, and granatum, meaning seeded. 

- They are in season in the USA from late Oct-Jan. We are in prime pomegranate season folks!

Ingredients:
Pomegranate
Paring knife
Bowl
Large wooden spoon

Directions:
With your paring knife, remove the crown of the pomegranate, including the pith around the area. Then lightly score the skin into quarters. Separate the pomegranate gently yet firmly into four quarters.

Working one quarter at a time, hold the pomegranate quarter in your hand over a bowl, skin side up. With a large wooden spoon, vigorously whack the pomegranate! The seeds will fall out of the pomegranate into the bowl. Make sure you knock on the pomegranate all over thoroughly to loosen all of the seeds.

 I find the above song a good pomegranate de-seeding song ; ). You should end up with a bowl filled with sparkly pomegranate seeds. If any small pieces of pith fall into the bowl, you can remove them with your hands. Rinsing is optional. Do you have a favorite/preferred method, what do you think works best?

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