Pomegranate Sparkler

will you be my valentine?

My sister sent a picture this morning of my niece Nora and I had to share it. Isn't she so adorable? I could just eat her up! If I didn't already have a valentine, I'd choose her. Anyway, obviously it's Valentine's Day, time for my last red recipe post. For this festive occasion I've made a simple champagne cocktail. Perfect to start out a night promising to be full of love, passion, and romance.

This recipe starts with a simple syrup, which is just equal parts pomegranate juice and granulated sugar. The only other ingredients are sparkling wine or champagne and pomegranate seeds. I suggest a brut (dry) sparkling wine. The pomegranate simple syrup is pretty sweet. Toast your valentine tonight with this Pomegranate Sparkler. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6
1 C 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 Bottle Sparkling Wine, chilled
To Serve: Pomegranate Seeds
Optional: Love, Passion, Romance, and all that gooshy stuff...

Directions

Begin by making the simple syrup: In a small pot combine the pomegranate juice and granulated sugar. Heat over medium until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat to cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature until ready to serve.

Make the cocktail: Pour 1 oz. pomegranate simple syrup into the bottom of a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a few pomegranate seeds (and all that gooshy stuff). One bottle of sparkling wine will make 6 cocktails. Here's to Valentine's Day! Cheers!

Roasted Duck Breasts over Wild Rice with Pomegranate-Orange Sauce

duck...duck...food!

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm focusing on pomegranates and Valentine's day with this series of red recipes. How appropriate that color falls at this time! Last night I made a dinner worthy of any date night and perfect for Saturday. It's a meal that will impress, but really was quite easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for the duck to roast, it smells so good!

This recipe was inspired by duck a l'orange, a classic French dish that pairs roasted duck with an orange sauce. My sauce not only contains orange juice and zest, but also pomegranate juice and molasses. Pomegranate molasses can be found at specialty stores (try Jungle Jim's) or you can make your own (follow this recipe). If you want to impress your Valentine's Day date don't go out to dinner, make it! Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 2
2 Duck Breasts (1/2 lb. each)
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
1/2 C Pomegranate Juice
1 Orange, zest & juice
2 T Pomegranate Molasses
2 T Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 T Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Fresh Thyme, chopped
To Serve: Wild Rice and Pomegranate Seeds

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. We are roasting this duck low and slow!

Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin and fat side in a crosshatch pattern, making the cuts about 1/2 inch apart. Be careful not to cut into the breast meat. Season the breasts well with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over med-high. Sear the breasts skin and fat side down, about 6 minutes. Remove the breasts from the pan. Reserve or discard the fat. Wipe out the skillet and place the duck, skin side up, back into it. Put the skillet into the preheated oven to roast for 35-40 minutes. Or, until the duck registers at 145-150 degrees on a digital read thermometer. Once cooked, remove to a cutting board, rest for about 5 minutes, and then cut into thin slices.

As the duck is roasting, make the wild rice and sauce. For the rice: cook to package directions and keep warm. For the sauce: combine the pomegranate and orange juice, zest, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, and 1 tsp. salt in a small sauce pan. Heat to a boil and reduce by 2/3, about 15 minutes. The sauce will be think and syrupy. Keep warm.

Plate the sliced duck over a bed of wild rice. Pour the sauce over the top and around the sides of the dish. Top with fresh pomegranate seeds. Valentine's Day dinner never looked so good. Enjoy!

Feliz Navidad Punch

Feliz Navidad...I want to wish you a Merry Christmas!

'Tis the season for being merry, experiencing joy, spending time with friends and family, and hearing every Christmas song possible. This is one of my favorites - I can't help but sing along! I've deviated from Brussels sprouts for this final series post (I hope you are thanking me!) as I couldn't imagine creating a drink or dessert with them. So, instead, I'm celebrating the season with a rainbow drink. It's perfect for the Christmas holiday.

This punch combines pomegranate, orange, and lime juice with tequila and orange liquor for a festive mix of citrus and salt. I say salt because tequila has a nice briny quality to it (hence why we add salt to margaritas) and it's noticeable in this cocktail. Hearkening back to earlier times I serve this drink in a punch bowl with a citrus ice ring. And, finish it off with a lime-sugar rim. I suggest serving this up in a margarita glass. Cheers to a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas!

Ingredients - Serves 10-12
Punch:
2 (32 oz.) Bottles 100% Pomegranate Juice
1/2 C Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice (2 oranges)
1/4 C Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (2 Limes)
1 1/2 C Silver Tequila
1/2 C Orange Flavored Liquor (suggest Cointreau)

Ice Ring & Garnish:
1 Orange, sliced into rings
1 Lime, sliced into rings
Garnish: granulated sugar & lime zest

Directions
Make the ice ring: Place the sliced orange and lime into a bundt pan. Fill halfway with cold water and freeze.

Make the punch: Combine the pomegranate, orange, and lime juice in a pitcher. Add the tequila and orange liquor, stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: Zest the lime prior to juicing to use for the garnish!

Serve: Pour the punch into a bowl and carefully add the ice ring. Mix the sugar and lime zest in a shallow dish. Wet the rim of a margarita glass (or other), press into the lime sugar, and ladle in the punch. Cheers to the holiday season! Enjoy!!