Festive fizz with a pom royale

December 23, 2009  •  Features, Food & Drink  •  0 Comments

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CHRISTMAS isn’t all about food – it’s about wine and sherry too. Overindulgence is the norm but boy do we regret it by December 27th!

It can certainly be no coincidence then that Mother Nature gifted pomegranates to us at this time of year.

Pomegranates are, quite simply, one of nature’s super foods. Packed full of anti-oxidants, they not only help to clear your body of free radicals, but they also lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease as part of the bargain.

Above all, a dish, or juice from this fabulous fruit is one of the best hangover cures known to me.

Originally heralding from Iran, where there are 760 different varieties

Pomegranates are an ancient fruit, even mentioned in the Book of Exodus. The ancient city of Granada was even renamed after the fruit – the trees are called granadas – during the Moorish period.

Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and Latin America, leading to the naming of the country of Greneda, often also known as Granada.

Its regal crown has been depicted in ancient monuments and coinage and it’s believed that the forbidden fruit picked in the Garden of Eden may have been a pomegranate and not an apple, after all.

Originally heralding from Iran, where there are 760 different varieties, the trees are widely cultivated through the Middle East, India and parts of Africa.

Either way, this vitamin-rich fruit has indeed a rich history.

I’ve always used Pomegranate seeds (called arils) in couscous and salads, mixing in cucumber raita, as well as sprinkling them over any Moroccan-inspired dish. They are great, of course, in fruit salads, over cereal and this year, I’ve been making cocktails!

“By far one of the worst fruits to peel and de-seed was the pomegranate. It is time consuming, ruins your nails and leaves your hands black. I recommend wearing gloves.”

Pomegranates probably fell out of fashion because they aren’t really user friendly. In our time-conscious society, sitting down to extract the edible seeds of a pomegranate can be messy and time consuming.

As one former fruit and veg shop worker Pauline Olivera explains: “When I used to live in Barcelona and worked in a fruit shop near the Sagrada Familia, we had to peel and pick all sorts of fruits to make life more convenient for the buyer.

“By far one of the worst fruits to peel and de-seed was the pomegranate. It is time consuming, ruins your nails and leaves your hands black. I recommend wearing gloves.”

The longer the juice is outside the shell, the more the vitamins disappear
While many supermarkets now sell small packets of fresh pomegranate seeds which are convenient, they are likely to have lost many of the fresh vitamins they have when used from fresh.

Pomegranate juice can also be bought commercially too which is great but again, the longer the juice is outside the fruit shell, the more the vitamins disappear.

Finally, one more important thing to note, depending on the variety, some pomegranates are more bitter than others – and therefore it is important to adjust additives, such as soda, tonic, orange or honey, to suit taste.

Annipov

In a BIG glass with several ice cubes, mix three parts pomegranate juice and three parts Clementine juice with two parts vodka or gin. Add a squeeze of fresh lime (optional) and top up with as much soda or tonic as desired. This is a health drink so enjoy, without guilt!

Pom Royale

Either using pomegranate juice on its own or again mixed with Clementine or orange juice, half fill a glass and top up with cava. Excellent hangover cure.

The Morning after Breakfast

It’s an idea to prepare this the day before so that you simply open the fridge the next morning and there it will be, winking at you.
The ingredients are pomegranate seeds, fresh orange juice and ground cinnamon. Place seeds in individual dishes. Cover with chilled juice and sprinkle with fresh ground cinnamon. Serve with yoghurt if desired.

Brought to you by Annie B’s kitchen
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Landline: 956 455 166
www.anniebs.co.uk

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