I was in Florida last week visiting our friends, Kathy and Chris Froggatt. We went out a couple nights and had the most fabulous fish at two of their favorite restaurants. Plus we cooked at home with lobster one night.  More on that in the days to come; what I want to share with you today is a delicious pomegranate martini recipe that Chris made for us… and happily, more than once.

Thank you Chris and Kathy, you are perfect hosts and I had a wonderful time, in spite of the humidity. :-)  xoxo

Mr. Froggatt’s Pom Martini

1  1/2 ounces Citroen Kettle One vodka
1  1/2 ounces Kettle One vodka
3 ounces Pom Wonderful  juice
2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce Cointreau
Lime twist, garnish

Combine both vodkas, all juices, simple syrup, and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into two chilled martini glasses. Garnish each with a lime twist and enjoy immediately.

Serves 2

I’ve known this fact for about a year now, bloggers are very nice and supportive people! Look at this sweet post from fellow blogger and often, nice comment sender, Audrey Larsen, of The Audrey Files. She is my new BFF – so sorry Jen and Peggy and Anne!

Wanna know something that makes my day (in addition to having a new BFF)? Finding a cool new item at Trader Joe’s, that’s what! While standing in the dried fruit/nut aisle I was scanning for dried cranberries. Not that I really need another bag, I’m guessing that I have at least a half dozen partial bags of dried cranberries tucked behind various other partial bags of nuts and fruits and chocolates in one of my two extra freezers, but I am to busy/lazy to dig for one. That is really a whole other story and could be a post on its own! Anyhow, as I stood there scanning, I saw it, the new item – dried pomegranate seeds.

Awesome! I was so excited to try them, I had to control the urge to open the package right there and then. The very second I was in the car, I ripped into it. They are tasty, and according to the package they are a “good source of fiber” too. There you go, run out and snag a couple bags so that it becomes such a popular item, there is no way TJ’s would even consider discontinuing them. Even though I am enjoying eating them straight from the bag, I decided to create a Thanksgiving recipe using them and share it with you… hey, it’s just how I roll.

Don’t fret if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your neck of the woods, you can use fresh pomegranate arils (that is their actual name – not seeds, but I’m not going to tell TJ’s that and risk making them mad!) The recipe also uses one of my all-time favorite ingredients, pomegranate molasses. CLICK HERE for that easy and inexpensive recipe or you may purchase it, and pay more than you should, at a Mediterranean store or Whole Foods.

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup dry red wine
1  1/2 cups sugar
12-ounce bag  (about 3 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup dried pomegranate seeds or fresh pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
Garnish
Toasted chopped pecans
Lemon and/or orange zest

In a medium saucepan stir the Marsala, red wine, and sugar together. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Stir in cranberries and pomegranate seeds/arils. Bring back to a boil and cook until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens, about 12 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in pomegranate molasses and Italian seasoning. Allow to come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. (May be made one week ahead, stored in an airtight container.) Garnish with pecans and citrus zest, just before serving.

Makes 2 cups

And if your family is anything like mine, this would also be a good time to stick the canned Jellied Cranberry Sauce in the refrigerator, since it must be on the table right alongside the homemade stuff. If not, people get all up in your face!

Shhh, don’t tell my family, but I am going to make different rolls this Thanksgiving. This is a big deal!  There will be whining, complaining, moaning, crying, and even a possible revolt, but I’m still going to do it! Our traditional roll is the absolutely delicious and addictive James Beard Potato Bread Rolls that I made each year. The thing is, I also make these rolls only a short 4 weeks later for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas day dinner, and use the same dough for my killer Cinnamon-Pecan Rolls on Christmas morning. So… these people, who I have to feed every single day, (sometimes up to 3 times a day!) can try something different on Thanksgiving this year! That something different will be cloverleaf rolls.

Cloverleaf rolls sometimes have tiny crosses marked on each of the three sections, referencing the Holy Trinity, which in Ireland is often compared to the clover. I’ll save that little embellishment for Easter. You may also dip the balls in melted butter after forming and before placing in the muffin cups, that makes for one very rich roll!  Another option is to brush the tops of the rolls (after rising in the muffin tins) with and egg wash or melted butter and then sprinkle the tops of the rolls with sesame, poppy, or mixed seeds. Do so if you wish.

The composed butter that accompanies the rolls calls for pomegranate molasses, which I’ve posted about before and you can get the recipe for by CLICKING HERE. You can make a full 1 cup recipe or reduce it by two-thirds, which will produce exactly 1/3 cup, as called for.  And finally, I’ve added a pumpkin variation for this recipe, just in case, you too, want to mix things up next week. That and the measurements for a scaled down amount of pomegranate molasses are found at the bottom of this post.

Remember to check out my Complete Thanksgiving Planning Guide and Timeline. Turkey-Day is only 7 days away!!!

Cloverleaf Rolls with Pomegranate-Orange Butter

Cloverleaf Rolls
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
2  1/2 teaspoons yeast (1 packet)
1 teaspoon salt
3  3/4 cups flour
Pomegranate-Orange Butter
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Rolls: Pour water, milk, and sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer. Melt the 1/3 cup of the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and add the hot melted butter to the bowl with milk mixture, stir to combine. Sprinkle yeast on top and stir again.  Let stand for about 10 minutes for yeast to proof.

In the meantime, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in the same microwave-safe bowl and use to grease the insides of 16 muffin cups, set aside.

Add the egg and salt to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.  Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a smooth dough. Remove dough to a lightly greased large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Pinch off 1-inch balls of the risen dough and place 3 balls in each prepared muffin cup.  Cover muffin tins with clean tea towels and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake rolls for 11-13 minutes until golden brown. While the rolls bake, make the butter.

Pomegranate-Orange Butter: Place butter in a clean bowl of a standing mixer and beat until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Mix in the pomegranate molasses, orange zest, and powdered sugar; scraping sides of the bowl as needed. Scrape butter into a crock or a butter mold, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 16 rolls and 1 cup of butter

Variation: Pumpkin-Sage Cloverleaf Rolls

Mix in 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and 1/2 teaspoon dried sage (or 6 minced fresh sage leaves) into the mixture when the egg and salt are added. Brush with a little butter and sprinkle lightly with sea salt just before popping into the oven. The orange-pom butter would be too sweet for these rolls, so just offer regular butter or butter flavored with more sage.

Pomegranate Molasses: Use 1 cup (8-ounces) pomegranate juice, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 3 tablespoon sugar and reduce over high heat to 1/3 cup.  Cool to room temperature before using to make butter. CLICK HERE for full recipe instructions.

The lovely people at Pom Wonderful sent me a case of 8-ounce bottles of their wonderful Pom Wonderful juice and I want to share them with you.  The first 3 people to comment and leave a recipe using pomegranate juice will receive 2 of those 8-ounce bottles. Mind you, it will not count if you use a recipe already posted here by me! If you use an already published recipe from a cookbook, website, or magazine – that is fine, just be sure to credit where ever you are using it from.  To get you going… here is a little recipe from me to you.

Berry-Pom Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice
Two 16-ounce packages frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and pomegranate juice. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and set that bowl in a larger bowl that is about 1/2 full of ice and a little water.  Stir occasionally until mixture is cooled, this is called an “ice bath”.

In a blender, purée the frozen mixed berries with the cooled pomegranate syrup and lemon juice until very smooth, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove as many of the berry seeds as possible. *See note below

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions.

Remove sorbet from ice cream maker and place into a bowl, cover and freeze until firm, then enjoy!

*Note: I own a Vita-Mix blender, which purées just all about all the seeds, you may have more seeds left in your strainer if you have a standard blender.

Makes about 1 quart

It’s hard to beat a great homemade soup on a cold winter’s day. I love soup anytime of year, but particularly in the winter and this hearty winter soup is guaranteed to warm you inside and out. If you made turkey stock with the Thanksgiving bird, all the better, but store-bought broth will work here too. Pair it with warm crusty bread and your day will end on a high note. (In the picture, you may notice the soup is missing the grated swiss cheese on top. Don’t tell my family, but I forgot to add it… they will be sad when they find out, but it honestly was delicious anyhow!)

In addition to the kitchen ornament picture at the end of the post, here is a picture of a fresh pomegranate centerpiece I created for the season. To make; stack pomegranates and use a glue gun to hold them in place.  Put the “pomegranate pyramid” on the a pretty tray or plate and fill in spaces with fresh bay leaves, pine boughs, eucalyptus cuttings, holly, etc. Poke cinnamon sticks in to finish. This arrangement is beautiful fresh and will dry wonderfully too.

Garlic, Potato, and Sausage Soup

2 teaspoons whole cumin seed
8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
6 cups chicken or turkey stock
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces sausage, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 egg yolks
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
Fresh sage leaves, for garnish

Place the cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute, immediately remove from heat; pour into a spice grinder and process until ground.

Place garlic, onion, broth, butter, bay leaf, sage, and ground cumin into a soup pot and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and the potatoes.

Cook over on a low simmer until the potatoes are very tender but not falling apart, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Lightly beat egg yolks in a medium bowl and slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup of the hot broth, in a slow and steady stream. Take extra care to whisk continuously and pour slowly so that you don’t end up with scrambled eggs, set yolk mixture aside for a moment.

Remove the bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about half of the solids plus a couple of ladles of the liquid from the pot into a blender and puree. Return puree to pot and add the sausage.

Add the warmed yolk mixture to the soup, and heat through, do not boil, stirring, until the soup thickens slightly.

Remove from heat. Taste for salt and pepper, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve in warm bowls with a generous amount of the Swiss cheese sprinkled over each and garnish with fresh sage leaves.

Serves 6

she it too cute - "Will work for cookies"

Pears were poached in a sweet liquid and used for dessert in yesterday’s post.  Today, these wine poached pears with be used in a savory salad. The flesh takes on a gorgeous deep red color.

Walnut oil is used for the vinaigrette, but olive oil can be substituted. Nut oils should always be stored in the refrigerator. Just like the nuts they come from, the oils goes rancid quickly at room temperature.

The “seeds” of a fresh pomegranate are called arils and they should be showing up in markets since it is pomegranate season, take advantage and purchase them now, the season is short. The good news – arils can be frozen. To freeze, spread arils in a single layer on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for about two hours. Transfer frozen arils to a labeled and dated zip-lock bag. You can easily remove the amount you need when desired and return the rest quickly to the freezer.  They will keep for about 6 months.

This salad is beautiful for any of the upcoming holidays and the poaching liquid can be saved for an upcoming Thanksgiving recipe for Pearl Onions and Wild Mushrooms in Red Wine Sauce, which will be posted later this week.*

Zinfandel-Pom Poached Pear, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Salad

2 cups red Zinfandel wine
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored (use a mellon baller)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup walnut oil
2 cup mixed greens and/or baby spinach

1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate arils (seeds)
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
Honey, for drizzling

Pour wine, pomegranate juice, and pepper into a saucepan just large enough to hold pear halves snuggly. Place pear halves in pan, cut side up. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat to a low simmer.

Poach pears for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. (The exact amount of poaching time will depend on the ripeness of the pears, so test by poking with the tip of a paring knife periodically.) Use tongs to gently turn over pear halves, cut side down. Remove from heat and allow the pears to cool completely in the liquid.  When cool, remove pear halves to a plate and reserve poaching liquid for another use if desired (*there will be about 1 1/2 cups liquid remaining, pour into jar, cover and refrigerate).

While pears are cooling make vinaigrette; in a small bowl whisk vinegar, mustard, and sugar together to blend, slowing pour walnut oil into bowl while whisking until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When pears are cool and you are ready to serve; toss greens with vinaigrette and mound on each salad plate, place a pear half next to salad greens, fill each pear hole with crumbled blue cheese and sprinkle pomegranate arils and toasted walnuts on top of pear and around the plate.  Drizzle each plate lightly with honey.

Serves 4

In a comment on the “Pomegranate – Another Super Food” post, Marissa requested a guacamole recipe that includes pomegranate seeds.  This amazingly delicious recipe comes from Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza, chef/owner of Bario Cafe in Phoenix, Arizona. It is simple and straight forward and oh so addictive!  Over the years, I’ve made one tiny change – and that is changing the serving size.  The original recipe was half the amount that I have here to serve four.  Believe me, it was never enough, so I have doubled the ingredients and now it really will serve four and they will be a very happy four people!  One of the best tips ever – to slice or dice an avocado, cut in half as usual and remove the pit.  Place one half of the avocado in the palm of your hand and, using a table knife, slice or dice the flesh while still in the shell/peel. Repeat with remaining half and then, using a spoon, scoop out the avocado out and into a bowl or onto a plate.  No need to peel, easy, and no mess!  Another bonus, if you have a large quantity of avocados to slice for use later in the day, slice or dice as directed, then replace the pit and put the avocado back together like puzzle pieces and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, set aside, then just scoop out when ready.  This keeps the avocado from turning brown and prevents you from having to prep it all at the last minute.

avocado diced in the shell, ready to scoop out

Guacamole from Bario Cafe

2 avocado
2 heaping tablespoons diced tomatoes
2 heaping tablespoons diced Spanish or red onion
2 heaping tablespoons of jalapeño, seeded and diced
2 heaping tablespoons diced fresh cilantro
1 fresh lime
Salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste
2 heaping tablespoons fresh pomegranate arils (seeds)

Dice avocado into small chunks and place in a serving bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime juice over mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fold together gently. Add pomegranate seeds. Mix gently and serve immediately with your favorite tortilla chips.

Serves 4

Pomegranate Margaritas

2/3 cup pomegranate juice
2/3 cup premium clear tequila
1/3 cup triple sec
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, divided
3/4 cup cold simple syrup *
Crushed ice

Fill a blender with ice, pour pomegranate juice, tequila, triple sec, Grand Marnier, only 1/2 cup of the lime juice and the simple syrup over ice.  Blend until smooth

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice on a saucer.  Pour the sugar on another saucer.  Dip the rims of margarita or martini glasses into the lime juice, then into the sugar for a “sugared rim”

Pour blended margarita into prepared glasses, garnish with a lime slice and enjoy.

Serves 4

* If you’re not sure what simple syrup is or how to make it, go to the tip index for help.

Melon Salad with Pomegranate-Cabernet Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

4 pound seedless watermelon, rind removed and flesh cubed (about 6 cups watermelon cubes)
1 pound cantaloupe, seeded, rind remove and flesh cubed (about 2 cups melon cubes)
1 cup crumbled Greek feta (about 4 ounces)
1/3 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped tarragon leaves
1/3 cup toasted almond slices

Vinaigrette: In a small saucepan mix together the pomegranate juice and Cabernet wine, reduce to 1/3 cup.  Stir the sugar and balsamic vinegar into hot reduced pomegranate-Cabernet, set aside to cool.  When at room temperature, whisk in olive oil, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Mix the watermelon and cantaloupe cubes together in a large bowl, gently fold in the feta, dried cranberries, and tarragon.

Drizzle salad with vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste. Eat within a couple hours or the watermelon will break down and the salad’s texture will suffer.

Divide among salad plates and sprinkle with almonds.

Serves 8

Pom tree in my backyard

It’s pomegranate season and I love pomegranates! They are beautiful and delicious. Great eaten straight out of the hand, or seed and juice to use in recipes, and pretty to dry and use in floral, household, and holiday décor.

Plus pomegranates are a “Super Food”.  A single pomegranate or 1/2 cup of its juice provides 40% of an adult’s recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and is a rich source of folic acid and vitamins A and E. One pomegranate also contains three times the antioxidant properties of red wine or green tea.

Researchers report that the pomegranate’s antioxidants can keep bad LDL cholesterol from oxidizing (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2000). In addition, pomegranate juice, like aspirin, can help keep blood platelets from clumping together to form unwanted clots. Researchers has found that eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily for three months improved the amount of oxygen getting to the heart muscle of patients with coronary heart disease (American Journal of the College of Cardiology, Sept. 2005). Pomegranate compounds help prevent prostate cancer or slow its growth. In mice, treatment with pomegranate extract delayed the development of tumors and improved survival (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sept. 26, 2005).

To juice a pomegranate, cut it in half (as you would citrus) and juice using a citrus juicer or reamer. Pour mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. One large pomegranate will produce about 1/2 cup of juice.

Barbecued Pomegranate Chicken Thighs

8 chicken wings (about 3 1/2 pounds), skin and fat removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup tomato based barbecue sauce
1 cup pomegranate juice, reduced to 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce or 1 teaspoon Tabasco
2 tablespoons honey mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the thighs out in a single layer on a baking sheet and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Bake for 55 minutes.

In a large pot over medium-low heat sauté the garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Stir in barbecue sauce, reduced pomegranate juice, hot sauce and honey mustard. Bring to a boil then lower and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thick. Stir in butter until melted. Set aside.

During the last 15 minutes that the thighs are in the oven, preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Toss the baked wings in the sauce to coat.  Place thighs on grill and cook until the sauce begins to form a crust on the meat, about 5 minutes per side.

Serves 4

Me at 2 years old

I finally took on a task that I’ve been putting off for months… OK, not months, years!  Scanning pictures that are “pre-digital” onto my computer. See, this is what happens when your kids leave you for college – you do things! I found this picture in the stack and just couldn’t resist posting it. I am two years old here, according to my mom’s writing on the back. With an apron on! Wow, who knew? Today’s tip has to do with fresh ginger root. It is something I don’t always have on hand but not something I’m willing to go to the store for if it’s the only thing I need. So I always buy a bit bigger piece than I’ll need, I peel the extra and slice it into “coins” about 1/2-inch thick. I have a jar in my fridge the I keep the ginger coins in that is filled with Sherry. That way whenever you need fresh ginger and don’t have it in the produce drawer, just pull out a coin or two, mince it up and you’re ready to go!  When working with pork tenderloin, you must alway trim away the silver skin. Silver skin is a layer of white connective tissue or membrane that you find on pork tenderloin and a variety of other tender meats.  It is tough as rubber and needs to be removed before cooking.  It is not difficult to do; cut it off in then strips, angling a sharp paring knife against the membrane, not the meat, then slide your knife along the silver skin, pulling back tightly on it and continue to do so until the loin is clean. See picture below.

Pomegranate-Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2 to 2 pounds pork tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup peeled and minced shallots
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger root
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey mustard
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Fresh pomegranate arils (seeds) and rosemary sprigs for garnish, if desired

tenderloin in back has been trimmed, front piece - in process

Trim silver skin from tenderloins, season well with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, when hot, add oil and sear pork on all sides until evenly browned. Remove pork to a plate and set aside.

shallots, rosemary, and gingerroot added to pan

Add shallots, rosemary, ginger root, and chicken stock to hot skillet, use a spatula to stir and deglaze by loosening up the browned bits in the pan.

after chicken broth is added- pan is deglazed "scraped clean"

Once the pan is “clean” and the shallots are soften, add the wine and pomegranate juice, turn heat to high. Boil for 2 minutes, reducing the liquid. Add the pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar, the honey mustard, and chipotle.

about to cover pan and turn off heat

While still boiling, return pork and any juices accumulated on the plate to skillet. Cover skillet and turn of the heat. Allow pork to cook slowing in turned off pan for 15 minutes. Uncover pan and turn over tenderloins, turn heat to high and as soon as liquid begins to boil, cover pan and turn off heat again, this time for 8 minutes. Remove lid and insert and instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, the temperature should be between 150-155 degrees, if not recover and test again in 3 or 4 minutes.

Garnish, "if desired"... I desired, just forgot before I snapped the picture

Remove meat to a cutting board, tent with foil. Return sauce to a simmer over medium heat and add cream, stir until heated through. Slice meat on a diagonal and serve with sauce drizzle on top and garnish, if desired.

Serves 6

Ingredients for Pomegranate Molasses

This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. I have served it as an appetizer (using leg of lamb cubes for little kebabs) and as a main course, as here with lamb chops, to literally hundreds of people and there has never been even one person who didn’t love it. People who had given up on lamb saying that they found it too “gamey” ask for the recipe! The pomegranate juice truly transforms the lamb into the most delicious meat imaginable. Pomegranate molasses can be found bottled in many Middle East markets, but it could not be easier to make yourself. You can see the 3 ingredients in the photo above. A couple items in the photo may look strange – allow me to explain. You ask, “What are those black sticks in your sugar jar?” Answer: They are dried vanilla beans. You see, every time a recipe calls for a fresh vanilla bean, let’s say crème brûlée… once I’ve finished with the bean, I dry it off, and stick it in my sugar jar. The sugar takes on a hint of vanilla flavor, a bonus for just about any recipe calling for sugar. Next question – “What is that stuff floating in the measuring cup holding the Pom juice?” Answer: Frozen lemon juice. Living in Scottsdale, we have an abundance of citrus trees and in December – February, that citrus is coming out of our ears. My one and only lemon tree produced a plethora a lemons this year. I was zesting and juicing lemons daily for months plus giving away boxes upon boxes of citrus. It was a huge pain then, but of course I am grateful and happy now with all the zip-locks bulging from my freezer. To freeze the juice, I fill standard size muffin tins to nearly the top (each muffin cup holds 1/4 cup of juice) and freeze the tins uncovered overnight. Next day, label a gallon size zip-lock freezer bag with the date and “1/4 cup lemon juice each.” Then pop out the frozen “juice muffins” and immediately get them into the labeled zip-locks and back into the freezer. They will keep for about 1 year, just in time to start the process over again.

Patrick Hopkins; photo from DePaul

Before we get to the recipe, it’s time for some family pride. Not one of my kids this time, but instead a future Major League Soccer superstar, my nephew, Patrick Hopkins. Patrick plays for DePaul in Chicago and makes our family proud!

Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Chops

3 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 lamb loin chops (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate arils (seeds), if available

Pomegranate Molasses: Stir pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and sugar together in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to 1 cup liquid, about 20 -25 minutes depending on your stove and what pan you use, watching carefully during the last 5 minutes or it can easily go too far. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use. This recipe only uses 1/2 cup. Cover and refrigerate remaining 1/2 cup and save for up to 1 month.

Pom Marinating Lamb Chops

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and stir until lightly toasted, about 1 – 2 minutes. Grind cumin seeds in spice grinder. Mix 1/2 cup of the pomegranate molasses, freshly ground cumin, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg in 1-gallon zip-lock bag. Add lamb; chill at least 1 hour but no longer than 4 hours.

Remove lamb, pour marinade in medium saucepan and bring to a boil, remove from heat, cool slightly, stir in fresh pomegranate seeds, set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb and cook to desired doneness, about 4 –6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, for medium. Transfer lamb to platter (do not clean skillet). Tent lamb with foil, to keep warm.

Pom Lamb Chop with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Almond Green Beans

Drain off fat from skillet, return to medium heat and pour cooked marinade from saucepan into skillet to deglaze pan. Return chops to pan to reheat.  Serve chops drizzled with sauce.

Serves 6