Pomegranate as referenced by The Adelaide Magazine

Crushed next to my vintage Sunbeam

Dramatic cross-section 

Adelaide autumn table is not complete without pomegranates, Soula from “ Stone Fruits” at the Adelaide Show Grounds farmers Market says this years crop is looking extra juicy.

An ancient fruit heralded for its healing properties, bursting with Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Folic acid and vitamin C, B & E. There is an argument that Eve may have picked a pomegranate not an apple?

Pomegranates are still life, picture perfect, fabulous table decoration before eating & easier to use than they look, making any dish exotic.  Pour juice & seeds over your breakfast yoghurt & soaked oats, sweet & sour salads, give tang to grains, jazz up humble vanilla bean ice cream with fresh gated nutmeg, raw honey & toasted nuts, add to fruit salads & make fab cocktails.

Eastern flavours & ruby colours offer fresh edginess to gilled fish, Lamb & chicken, simply fabulous in marinades, adds acid to curries, balances sweet fruits like figs & dates. Use the juice & seeds for a bursting garnish.

Always buy them when they are dark & ripe, with only a slight give to the feel of your hand. To make juice: cut in quarters, gently scrape out seeds, pulse them in food processor with a plastic blade, just enough to release the juice, strain through a fine sieve or muslin. Use juice straight away.

Autumn chicken, pomegranate, persimmon & radish salad.

Seasonal exotics make for an aromatic, cleansing salad with a touch of crunch, perfect for a one-dish meal.

In a big bowl mix some thin sliced radish, wedges of vanilla persimmon, chopped coriander stem, thin slices of lime, a pinch of macrobiotic salt, grind of pepper, and a good splash of extra virgin olive oil. Add the shredded the meat of your chilled poached chicken, mix, check seasoning. Pour over pomegranate juice & top with seeds, a handful of fresh coriander and a scattering of Miss Merbein’s pistachios.

Elegant pomegranate & melon salad.

This fragrant salad is divine for an afternoon gathering with fresh mint tea; the sweet, savoury and piquant marry beautifully. Very classy on a large white platter.

Place some late season fragrant Melon cut into dramatic shards onto a platter, scatter some mint, pomegranate juice, salt & fresh ground pepper, a splash of rose water and a dash of extra virgin oil. Optional: a handful of fresh walnuts make the dish a tad more substantial.

Tunisian Inspiration.

A super simple dessert that ticks all the flavour & heath buttons.

A fantastic way to use that excess cous cous from the dinner. Take your steamed cous cous & add some currants, sliced dates, cinnamon, blanched almonds, lemon zest and a touch of honey & rose water. Warm in a steamer and pour on fresh pomegranate juice & pretty seeds.  Try it with almond milk or if you are a big kid it’s superb with vanilla ice cream. 

Local Haloumi w Pomegranate.

Perfect for a starter when friends arrive at the BBQ or an alternative cheese course.

The salty creamy jelly cheese is cut with the acid of the juice.

Caramelise a slab of Adelaide made La Casa Del Formaggio Haloumi in a heavy pan with a dash of olive oil, or on the BBQ.  Plater up & splash on some fresh juice, decorate with a few seeds, a drop or tow of Harding’s pistachio oil & a grind of black pepper. For an extra pomegranate dimension drizzle a few drops of pomegranate molasses.

Serve hot and gooey with warm ancient grain flat bread.