This Year's Sweets Tray

This year, I gave all my friends these trays of mixed cookies and candies for Christmas. They were so much fun to put together! From left to right: Passionfruit-Raspberry Gelées; Wheatena-Coconut Cookies with Royal Icing; Lapsang Souchong Truffles (top); Pomegranate-Pistachio Truffles (center); Chocolate Turtles with Bourbon-Soaked Pecans (bottom); Salted Maple Honeycomb Candy; more Wheatena Cookies; and Tangerine Gelées. Yum!

Pear Pomegranate Sparkling Punch

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Last week, my friend and mixer-man Bram gave us two great Holiday punches. I too have a great punch recipe (which I did not have time for last week) so here it is!

Ingredients
1 bottle (750 ml. each) Riesling
2 cans (11.5 oz each) pear nectar
2 cups Pomegranate juice
1/2 cup triple sec
1 1/2 cups pear vodka
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups pears, thinly sliced
1 bottle (750 ml.) Gruet

Procedure
Mix all ingredients except Gruet in a pitcher. Chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day ahead. To serve, pour into a large punch bowl; add Gruet and ice cubes. Let the games begin!

Pomegranate Mousse Pie with Orange Rosewater Syrup

The Altitude Adjustment Section
This is my award-winning (well not really, but the folks at the Food Depot Holiday Pie-O-Rama sure did love it) recipe for a super easy, no-bake, original holiday pie. This recipe makes two pies and they freeze, so go for it.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (Graham cracker, chocolate wafers, vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps)
6 ounces melted butter
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 envelope) powdered gelatin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup Pomegranate Molasses
2 cups heavy cream divided (2 tablespoons added to white chocolate)
4 ounces chopped white chocolate
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Procedure
To make the crust, mix melted butter with the cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Refrigerate till needed. To make filling, put the pomegranate juice in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top then stir a little with a spoon to mix it up. In a small saucepan heat the pomegranate molasses with the cardamom till it comes to a boil. Pour over the softened gelatin and stir. Let cool to room temp. In the meantime, melt the chopped white chocolate in the top of a double boiler with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Let cool. Whip up the remaining heavy cream till it starts to thicken and then add the extracts and the powdered sugar. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix a little more. Now add the white chocolate and whip to incorporate. Next add the pomegranate gelatin mixture and mix till smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crusts and refrigerate for at least 3 hours till firm. Best if made the night before. Serve with a drizzle of orange rosewater syrup (recipe below) and a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds. This recipe makes two 9-inch pies. This pie may be frozen.

Orange Rosewater Syrup

Ingredients
4 cups sugar
3 cups water
½ cup rosewater
½ cup OJ concentrate
½ cup orange juice

¼ teaspoon orange oil
Procedure
Boil the water and sugar till sugar is dissolved and then add the other ingredients. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.

Pomegranate Lime Cake

Excellent Ingredient of the Week
I meant to do this recipe last week, but we ran out of time. Which is a good thing because it gave me a chance to adjust the recipe, and it needed it. It’s a pretty great unusual cake with lots of potential.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pomegranate juice, divided
grated lime peel of 2 limes divided
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 drops lime oil
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced mint leaves

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 81/2 X 12-inch cake pan. I used an old Pyrex pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended, 1 minute. Using electric mixer, add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, vanilla, and 1/2 the lime peel (mixture may appear curdled). Beat flour mixture into batter just until blended. Stir in yogurt.

Spread batter in pan. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cake cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sift powdered sugar into medium bowl; whisk in 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, and half of the lime peel that’s left. Using fork, poke holes in top of warm cake, spacing 1 inch apart. Pour glaze over cake and spread evenly. Cool completely. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds, mint, and rest of the lime peel over cake before serving.

Pomegranate Smoothie

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Sometimes a smoothie is a great way to get a nutritious breakfast on the go. You can drink it in the car with a straw, or put it in your camel back and suck it back while biking to work. Just don’t forget to clean out the pack and nozzle really well or you will make a weird science experiment.

Ingredients
A pint glass of ice
1/4 pear, sliced
1 banana
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Procedure
First you're going to add the ice, then the pear, then peel and add the banana to your blender. Then add the pomegranate juice, the orange juice, and the yogurt now blend until smooth, and serve. And that's how you make a pomegranate smoothie.

Grapefruit Campari Sorbet and Pomegranate Tangerine Sorbet

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Here are two super simple sorbet recipes which are unbelievably refreshing and do not require the use of much heat.

Campari and Grapefruit Sorbet

Ciao Bella has made this classic Italian-flavored treat since the beginning, and I love it!

Ingredients
3 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice (from about 4 large grapefruits), strained and chilled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Campari, chilled

Procedure
In a blender, combine the grapefruit juice and sugar, and blend until the sugar is dissolved. Add the Campari, pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream machine, and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Pomegranate-Tangerine Sorbet

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups pure pomegranate juice
1 cup tangerine or orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated tangerine peel or orange peel
Mint sprigs

Procedure
Combine sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool completely. Whisk in pomegranate juice, tangerine juice and peel. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze sorbet in covered container until firm.

Muhammara and Rosemary Yogurt Flatbread

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This week I have been thinking about some new hors d’oeuvres to add to my repitoire and I tried these items and I think they have great potential so here they are. An unusual dip and some all purpose flatbread.

Muhammara

Ingredients
1 cup walnuts
3 stove roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon Sambal
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Olive oil and parsley for garnish

Procedure
In a dry hot skillet, toast the walnuts until they start to get a little brown — not burnt — and smell good. Remove from skillet and let cool. In the food processor, combine all ingredients except olive oil and parsley and blend till smooth. Top with oil and parsley and serve with dipping bits like bread or veggies.

Rosemary Yogurt Flatbread

From the El Farol: Tapas and Spanish Cuisine

Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Procedure
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Stir in yogurt. Knead till a smooth dough forms. In a lightly oiled bowl, let dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour covered with a damp cloth. Cut cough into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Then roll out each ball into a 1/4 inch thick disc. Heat a stovetop cast iron grill, which you have oiled with the veggie oil. Cook one piece of bread at a time 2 minutes on the first side, 1 minute on the other side. Serve warm.

Pomegranate-Olive Jam, with Pomegranate Molasses

The Excellent Ingredient of the Week
Pomegranate molasses is an ingredient from the Middle East. It is a reduction of pomegranate juice — cooked until it has the viscosity of molasses, but that's where the similarity ends. Pomegranate molasses is a versatile ingredient which can be used in everything from advanced drink mixology to baking and roasting. It is available in Santa Fe at Ziggy's International market (near Tiny's and next to Susan's Wine and Liquors). Here is a recipe for an amazing Pomegranate-Olive Jam.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup thyme honey or other full-flavored honey

Procedure
In a pan large enough to hold the chopped olives, cook the sugar, pomegranate molasses, and pepper flakes over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped olives and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey. Place in a glass container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Serve with a garlicky Goat Cheese Spread on crusty toasted baguette and top with Pomegranate-Olive Jam.

The 11 Best Foods We Never Eat

This is from a New York Times article from this summer. It's worth thinking about!

• Beets Rich in folate (which is a B vitamin), a potential cancer fighter. Try some Jewish borscht, or make roast beets and add them to your salad.
  
• Cabbage Full of cancer fighting enzymes, Sautéed as a side dish at dinner, coleslaw is easy and great on sandwiches.
  
• Swiss Chard Full of carotenoids, good for the eyes, sautéed greens are super healthy, cheap to buy, and really easy to grow.
  
• Cinnamon May help control blood sugar and cholesterol. Put it on everything!
  
• Pomegranate juice Full of antioxidants may lower blood pressure. Eat the fruit, drink the juice, reduce the juice into a syrup and add it to your vinaigrette.
  
• Prunes Packed with antioxidants. Use them in Hamentachen or other cookie fillings, or nice to serve with lamb.
  
• Pumpkin seeds Packed with magnesium, which is associated with lowering risk of early death. As a snack or on salads
  
• Sardines High in Omega-3. Loaded with calcium, as well as B vitamins and lots of other minerals. It’s an acquired taste. I like the French ones packed with good olive oil and a simple lemon slice. On rye bread with a little butter, Heaven!
  
• Turmeric The superstar of spices-has anti-inflammatory and anti cancer properties. Put a pinch in your eggs or on your veggies, makes food golden in color.
  
• Blueberries Helps improve memory, if you remember to eat them! Great in baked goods, cereal, yogurt, smoothies, or as a snack.
  
• Pumpkin High in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A. Canned is available all year and so easy to eat. Warm and mix with some butter, cinnamon, and honey or bake a pie.

Pomegranate and Orange Glazed Cornish Hens

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Pomegranate-Orange Glazed Cornish Hens — because sometimes plain broiled chicken just wont’ do! This is a festive dish. Trust me!

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 large orange, sliced thin
2 Cornish game hens
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons water

Procedure
Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place onion and orange rounds in the pan. Place hens, skin-side up, on top; rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake the hens until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the breast registers 170°F, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, combine marmalade, pomegranate syrup, cardamom, tarragon and cayenne. Remove hens from oven. Set oven to broil and place a rack 6 inches from the heat source. Brush the hens with marmalade mixture. Broil until glaze is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the hens to a serving platter or plates. Remove all but one orange slice from the pan and place over medium heat. Add water and bring to a simmer, using the orange slice as a spatula to scrape up any browned bits. Pour this pan sauce over the hens. Nice with a wild rice Pilaf.

Chicken Fesejan

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I had this marvelous dish in a Persian Café in Chicago years ago and it has always stuck with me. The flavors are dark and complex, so serve over simple basmati rice. The fragrance is wonderful, and the taste complex.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small onions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups walnuts, finely ground
2/3 cup pomegranate syrup
2 1/2 cups stock or water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons saffron (optional)
2 limes, juice of
2 1/2 to 3 pounds of bone-in poultry, of choice

Procedure
Heat butter or oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and sauté until wilted and translucent. Add garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg and sauté, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in walnuts, pomegranate syrup, stock, sugar, salt, pepper and saffron. Adjust sugar and salt to taste. Bring to a low boil and simmer 1/2 hour. Add chicken and simmer on low heat another 60 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, add the lime juice to taste. The sauce will thicken and darken during this cooking time, and the oil will begin to render out of the walnuts. Add water or stock if necessary to prevent the sauce from thickening too much and scorching. Serve over Basmati rice.

Ginger Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
I find sipping a refreshing cocktail while cooking makes the whole process that much less stressful. Here is an elegant cocktail, which is full of antioxidants and it looks festive as well!

Ingredients
1 cup Pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 inch-thick slice fresh ginger
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
1 750-ml bottle brut Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

Procedure
Combine pomegranate juice, sugar, and ginger in a pan over high heat until mixture is reduced to 1/3 of a cup. Stir constantly. Set aside until cool and remove ginger. Pour 4 tsp. of pomegranate syrup, 1 tbsp. orange juice, and 1/2 tsp. Grand Marnier into each of four Champagne flutes. Top off carefully with champagne and enjoy!

Pomegranate Soup

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I have always loved pomegranate, even before it was pronounced the wonder food of our generation. Here is a recipe from The Legendary cuisine of Persia by Margaret Shaida for a wonderful pomegranate soup. Think fall!

Ingredients
1/2 cup short grain rice
3/4 cup yellow split peas
2 medium onions
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound ground beef
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
3 sprigs fresh mint
6 tablespoons Pomegranate syrup
3 tablespoons sugar
2 quarts water or chicken stock or vegetable stock

Procedure
Wash the rice and the split peas and leave to soak separately for 30 minutes. Slice one onion and fry in oil till golden. Add turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Then stir in the drained rice and split peas. Add 2 quarts of water, chicken stock or vegetable stock and simmer for 1 hour. In the meantime, grate the 2nd onion and add to the meat along with salt and pepper, and with wet hands, make tiny meatballs and drop them into the soup as you make them. Now clean, dry, and chop up the parsley, cilantro, and mint and add them to soup. Simmer 30 minutes more. Add more stock if necessary and stir once in a while. Now stir in the pomegranate syrup and sugar. Taste to adjust seasoning. Nice to garnish with a little caramelized onion and a mint leaf.

Chickpea Fries with Mock Pomegranate Salsa

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is one of my new favorite hors d'oeuvres and it's so darn easy! I first tried it at Graze by Jennifer James in Nob Hill in Albuquerque. She serves it with a trio of salsas, but it can also go with plain old ketchup. You can prepare it ahead of time and fry them as needed. The salsa is a little clever cheat I came up with when I could not get pomegranate seeds, but it works.

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chick pea flour
oil for deep frying
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup anisette
2 cups any generic tomato-based salsa
1 pinch fennel pollen

Procedure
Prepare a baking sheet with a piece of parchment and lightly spray with non stick coating. Put the water, salt, pepper and olive oil in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the chick pea flour and stir till the mixture is smooth. With a spatula, spread mixture into a smooth, even layer on the sheet pan. Cover with parchment and smooth a little more — this makes it easier! Then refrigerate for 30 minutes. When cool, cut into any shape you would like. I like thin matchsticks. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan to 375 degrees. Fry a few at a time and serve warm with salsa. Sometimes if I want them to get a bit more of a crust, I lightly coat them in seasoned flour before frying.

To make the salsa, combine the cranberries, pomegranate balsamic vinegar, and anisette in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then shut off flame and let sit for 15 minutes. Put that mixture into food processor and pulse a few times. Then add salsa and mix a bit more. If you have this great crazy ingredient called "Fennel Pollen," add a pinch at the end — if not, forget about it.