Though pomegranate season here in the UK is sadly coming to a close, thankfully you don’t have to look further than your store cupboard to keep getting your fix of this delicious, deciduous fruit bearing shrub.
Just follow that brooding, sticky trail to the back of your larder, and you’ll find a long since forgotten bottle of pomegranate molasses, from those halcyon days when the Ottolenghi cookbook was your bible.
This versatile Persian seasoning can be deployed in a diverse, delicious set of ways, enlivening and enriching both savoury and sweet dishes, and if you’re looking for some delicious things to do with pomegranate molasses, then here are 6 of them.
Firstly, How To Make Your Own Pomegranate Molasses
Though pomegranate molasses can be bought bottled in any good high street food retailer, it’s surprisingly easy to make if you fancy giving it a go. You simply need some fresh pomegranate juice (which, again, you could actually make from fresh jewels of pomegranate, blended and passed), sugar, and a little lemon juice.
You’ll want to follow a ratio of 4 cups of pomegranate juice to 1/2 cup of sugar, and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Simply combine in a wide, deep, uncovered saucepan and simmer until it’s reduced by half. This should take around an hour.
Allow to cool (it will thicken as this happens), then decant the mixture into a jar. Store in the fridge and use for the delicious suggestions for pomegranate molasses that we’ve detailed below.
Alternatively, for an even more syrupy, stronger tasting seasoning, consider pomegranate juice concentrate, which has been reduced even further than molasses, with a more focused flavour.
Anyway, what are some delicious things to do with pomegranate molasses? Let’s take a deep dive into that syrupy liquid…
Help! We’re stuck.
Make A Piquant Dressing For A Haloumi Or Feta Salad
Let’s start with perhaps the most popular use for pomegranate molasses; as part of a dressing. This delicious sweet and sour dressing can be drizzled over a salad made from grains, parsley, fresh vegetables, grilled haloumi or crumbled feta (or all of them!) bringing sharpness and depth, and cutting through any fattier elements present in the dish.
Mince a garlic clove and finely chop a shallot. Then, add a tablespoon of lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and two tablespoons of pomegranate molasses. Whisk together, then slowly drizzle in five tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, whisking to emulsify.
Keep this pomegranate molasses salad dressing in the fridge, and use with all manner of creative salads.
In A Traditional Persian Stew, Fesenjan
Fesenjan is a delicious Persian stew that uses a base of walnuts and pomegranate molasses to amazing effect. Usually featuring chicken thighs and topped with pomegranate jewels, the result is a rich, piquant sauce that’s simply irresistible.
We’ll defer to the experts on how to make this one. Check out a great recipe for Khoresh Fesenjan from our favourite Persian Mom here.
Drizzle Over Fresh Fruit Or Ice Cream
Just because this is a simple idea doesn’t mean it’s not a delicious one. In fact, the interplay between fresh fruit and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses is just wonderful.
Even better, in our humble opinion, is a spritz of the stuff over some vanilla ice cream, creating a Jackon Pollock like visual effect and an alluring flavour. Take things even further into the left field with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and get back to us with your reaction!
Read: 10 IDEAL tips for making homemade ice cream
Use Pomegranate Molasses To Marinate Or Glaze A Joint Of Meat
Because of its syrupy yet acidic qualities, pomegranate molasses works well both as a marinade and a glaze for joints of meat, giving the protein a rich, fruity finish that’s sticky enough to be used as a glaze as you grill, too, all without insistent, excessive sweetness.
Simply mix minced garlic, sliced red onions, dried herbs, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to taste, and massage into bone-in chicken thighs, a joint of gammon, or even a leg of lamb. Leave overnight for best results!
Don’t forget to save some of the marinade to use a glaze as you roast or grill your meat. Reduce the mixture over a medium to high heat until it’s really sticky, and use a pastry brush to glaze as you go.
Stir Into Sparkling Water For A Refreshing Drink
Let’s keep on keeping things simple; pomegranate molasses can be stirred into a glass of sparkling water and ice for a surprisingly complex-tasting mocktail. Garnish with a slice of blood orange and a curl of zest and you’ve got something properly intoxicating without it being at all, well, intoxicating.
Fix Up A Pomegranate Martini
There is something beautiful about a drink that looks as good as it tastes. If you’re a fan of fruity tipples, then the pomegranate martini is the ideal cocktail for you.
You’ll need vodka, pomegranate juice, triple sec, lemon juice, and some pomegranate molasses in place of sugar syrup, all in balanced quantities for best results.
Shake (not stir) them up together and pour them out for a delicious tasting, even more delicious looking cocktail that’s easy to make at home.
Speaking of which, check out these 9 cocktails that are super easy to make at home. You won’t regret it! Or, maybe the next morning, you might…