Pomegranate Champagne

It is New Year’s Eve and we are ringing in the new year with a pretty beverage of Pomegranate Champagne for the adults and a version for the kids, substituting soda for the champagne.

Are you familiar the the beautiful pomegranate fruit? The pomegranate, or Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree that originated in the region of modern-day Iran. It has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region and northern India. It grows between 16 and 26 ft tall.

The fruit is typically in season in the Northern Hemisphere from September to February, and in the Southern Hemisphere from March to May. The arils or juice, are used in baking, cooking, juice blends, garnishes, smoothies, and alcoholic beverages, such as cocktails and wine.

The aril is the seed pod inside a pomegranate. The clear, ruby-colored fruit surrounds a tiny, crisp seed, and the whole aril is edible.

Recipe courtesy of Katie Lee The Early Show

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce pomegranate juice

Champagne

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

METHOD:

Pour 1 ounce of the pomegranate juice into a champagne flute (I used wine glasses). Top with champagne and a few pomegranate seeds for garnish.

For a non-alcoholic version, substitute a light-colored soda like Ginger-ale or 7-Up for a festive and refreshing beverage.

How to get the seeds from the pomegranate fruit

Place the pomegranate on a cutting board. The juice stains so you might want to protect your cutting board with a cloth and your hands with rubber gloves.

Cut the top crown from the pomegranate.

Slice the pomegranate into chunks and gently pull the pomegranate apart.

Fill a large bowl with water and place the pomegranate pieces down in the water

Coax the seeds out with your fingers removing the white pith. The seeds will sink in the water and the pith will float.

Dispose of the skin, skim off the white pith and discard. Pour the water and pomegranate seeds through a strainer.

Collect the arils on a sheet of paper towel to absorb excess moisture, being careful not to squeeze them. The arils are now ready to eat or use in a recipe.

Pomegranate storage

Whole pomegranates can be kept at room temperature, out of direct sunlight for several days. Refrigerated in a plastic bag, they can keep for a few months.

Pomegranate seeds can be refrigerated for three days. You could also freeze the seeds in a single layer, so they won’t come to one another, and this will keep for several months

Here is my helper doing a great job separating the arils.

Next, we made a colorful salad using pomegranate juice and the arils.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette dressed the salad and we sprinkled the arils on top.

We added a couple of more unusual ingredients to the crisp greens to make the salad, including fennel and thinly sliced jicama as well as blanched fresh green beans.

You can be as creative as you like. I sautéed the sliced fennel in a little oil over medium-high heat until it began to caramelize.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1/3 cup olive oil
5 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Bring pomegranate juice to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup.

Transfer to a small bowl. Cool completely (about 30 minutes). Whisk in olive oil, honey, vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt.

If you like this post you might also enjoy:

New Year’s Menu of Hoppin’ John, Simmered Collard Greens and Prune Cake

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Comments

Lisa RedWillow says
January 6, 2011 at 7:04 am
I do buy this juice all the time and will have to try this one. That is lone little sweet girl.
I have seen the seeds and really to be honset didnt know what to make with them. Now I do.
Happy New Year and all the very best to you and yoru family
marie says
January 6, 2011 at 6:03 am
Happy New Year a little late! These pomegranate champagne & vinaigrette sound wonderful ~ the salad looks so yummy! Of course I think your photos make everyting look yummy!
P.S. What a cute little kitchen helper you have!
Ann says
January 2, 2011 at 9:19 pm
I would go for the non alcoholic version since I'm not a drinker and the one time I tried champagne I didn't like it.
The salad looks delicious.
Corners of My Life says
January 2, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Even though New Year's has past I look forward to trying your Pomegranate Champagne recipe.
Julie says
January 2, 2011 at 8:34 pm
What a cute little helper! How great she could help with those pomegranates! Removing those arials takes forever! Beautiful drink and salad.
NanaDiana says
January 2, 2011 at 6:39 pm
Those present beautifully, Lorraine…and your helper is just ADORABLE! I could just squeeze her- xxoo Diana
Mildred says
January 2, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Thank you for sharing these unique and beautiful recipes. Ella is cute as can be!