Category Archives: pomegranate

Warm lamb and pomegranate salad

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I came up with this for lunch today as a way to use leftovers from a roast a couple of nights ago. Of course, you could cook up some fresh lamb instead.

Serves 1

Leftover roast lamb, sliced
Leftover baked sweet potato, diced
Mixed salad leaves
Cucumber
Tomato
A few slices of red onion
One pomegranate
Balsamic vinegar

Arrange salad leaves on a plate. Slice cucumber, cut tomato into wedges and add to the plate with the sliced onion. Cut the pomegranate in half and squeeze seeds and juice from one half into a bowl (wrap the other half and refrigerate to use in a fruit salad or some other dish). Warm the lamb and sweet potato in the microwave and arrange on top of the salad. Spoon the pomegranate seeds and some of the juice over, sprinkle on a little balsamic vinegar.

Pomegranate chicken

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I know; long time, no post! :)

Serves 4

One small whole chicken
Juice of one pomegranate (reserve the seeds)
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 tbs chopped basil
1 tbs lime juice
2 tbs olive oil

Butterfly the chicken. Process the garlic, spices and herbs in a food processor, adding a little of the oil if necessary to make a smooth paste. Add the rest of the oil, lime juice and pomegranate juice and mix well. Season with salt and pour into a shallow dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, turning once.

Heat oven to 200C. Place chicken into a baking dish, pouring all the marinade over it. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve with lemon wedges and cous cous – I added lemon zest, finely sliced spring onions, the reserved pomegranate seeds and a little extra virgin olive oil to mine.

Note: If you can’t get hold of a fresh pomegranate, you can buy pomegranate juice in a bottle from supermarkets.

Warm lamb salad with pomegranate and baby beetroot

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This is not a weeknight just-chuck-it-together kind of meal. It’s not really dificult and doesn’t take a huge amount of time, but there is a bit of planning and preparation involved, so it’s probably best left for a weekend dinner.

I found a recipe on the Taste website, and adapted it to suit my needs and preferences (and what was in the pantry).

Serves 4

8 baby beetroot
1 pomegranate, halved
1 tbs raspberry jam, warmed gently
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
4 lamb loin fillets
A bunch of asparagus, steamed lightly
1 cup rocket leaves
100g marinated feta, drained
2 tbs chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook beetroot in boiling water (or steam), for 20 minutes or until tender. Peel and quarter when cool enough to handle, then set aside.

Gently press each pomegranate half over a juicer to extract juice and loosen seeds. Place the juice in a bowl, then using the sharp tip of a knife, remove the seeds and add to the bowl. Place warmed jam in a bowl and whisk in oil, vinegar, mustard and 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice. Season, then set aside.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Heat an ovenproof non-stick frypan on medium-low heat. Season lamb and cook until browned on each side, then transfer pan to oven and cook for a further 5 minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest.

Place beets, asparagus, rocket, feta and nuts in a bowl. Toss gently with 3 tbs dressing. Pile onto plates. Thinly slice lamb and add to salad. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to serve.

I think I’m in love with pomegranates – the seeds look like bright jewels.

This could have been improved by giving the lamb some extra flavour – next time I’ll add some garlic and herbs. Or make it with duck, as per the original recipe.