Peel Pomegranates In Gentle Fashion

The pomegranate, in season through mid-January, has been cultivated in the Middle East since at least 4000 B.C. A symbol of fertility, this round fruit with a leathery skin is packed with tiny seeds, each encased in a glittering little jewel-like cell filled with tart-sweet juicy pulp.

Some people simply take a knife to this fruit and whack it apart, then suck out the pulp. That method wastes considerable juice.

The best way to attack a pomegranate is to slice off the little crown, then score the thin skin vertically in quarters without penetrating into the seeds. Gently break the fruit apart along the score lines, and very carefully, without breaking them, pull the seed clusters away from the white pith into a bowl. (By submerging the fruit in cold water and gently breaking it apart under the water, you can avoid staining your fingers.)

The juice can be used to flavor drinks, sauces, marinades, sorbets and pastries. One way to extract the juice is to remove the fruit from the pith and to whirl it, seeds and all, in a blender, then strain out the juice. A food mill will also do the trick.

Or gently roll an uncut pomegranate on a counter top until the cracking noise inside the fruit stops, indicating that the seeds have broken. Then, pierce the rind and poke in a straw to squeeze out the juice. One pomegranate yields about a half-cup of juice.

The seeds make a beautiful salad garnish and are excellent in desserts as a topping for custard or pudding.