Winter pomegranate salad
Bright flavours to balance out holiday potlucks and parties
Hello again and happy Eating season!
First, a Substack update! A brief hiatus from writing to you has ended as I am gearing up for another season of cozy cooking at Ice Creek Lodge. I have plans to share more of my winter recipes and a peak into lodge life with you all. Starting in January you can expect more regular glimpses into that snowy universe, but for now, I have a recipe for the holiday season which is inspired by my recent trip to the Middle East.
I was visiting my very cool Aunty who is temporarily living and working in Doha, Qatar. Together with my aunt and cousin, we spent a bunch of days eating some incredible food, first in Doha, and then in Istanbul. This also included enjoying a very special lunch in the home of Aisha Altamimi, a Qatari Chef and author who I read about in the book Feast: Food of the Islamic World. Aisha graciously invited us into her home to share a traditional meal with us. She sent us home with cookbooks and a batch of her own hand made spice blend. It was really special!
Through all of the eating and observing in the Middle East and Turkey, I came to find a new appreciation for pomegranate. The seeds themselves were often found fresh in everything ranging from desserts, salads, and meat dishes. Pomegranate syrup was also present in salads and savoury sauces lending a distinct tartness and depth of flavour that made you go “what is that?!”. Not to mention the seeds themselves look like little jewels and create a pleasant pop in your mouth when bitten in to.
Recipe
Winter Pomegranate Salad
This recipe is inspired by the pomegranate recipes I got to try on my trip, but it is also an attempt at creating a dish that can balance out all of the rich holiday food and contribute a burst of colour to the holiday table. It uses both fresh pomegranate and pomegranate molasses, which you can usually find at specialty food stores, or Lebanese or Syrian markets. Because the little jewels of pomegranate are so small, I like the other ingredients to be cut to a similar size, dressed separately from the greens to create a sort of pomegranate salsa, and then spooned onto the platter of kale and spinach right before serving. To me, a salad served on a platter not only looks beautiful, but it ensures that every part of the salad is covered in a healthy amount of toppings. The worst part about a big party salad is that the goodies often end up at the bottom of the bowl beneath the lettuces. We do not want that! If you don’t have a large platter, just use a cookie sheet like I’ve done here.
Ingredients
For the dressing
2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (in a pinch, balsamic vinegar works)
the juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp sumac (if you can’t find sumac, the zest of the lemon can be substituted)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
a good pinch of salt
a good pinch of sugar
cracked black pepper
For the salad
1 bunch tuscan kale, removed from stems, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
3 cups baby spinach
1 pomegranate, deseeded
1 english cucumber, finely diced
1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup toasted pistachios or pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta or goats cheese
Method
Make the dressing. Combine the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sumac, olive oil, salt, sugar and pepper in a jar or bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
Arrange the kale and spinach across a tray or platter. In a separate bowl, combine the pomegranate, cucumber, parsley, and green onions, pour in the dressing and toss to combine. When ready to serve, spoon the mixture evenly over the tray of greens, including any extra juices and dressing. Scatter the crumbled feta and pistachios over the top and serve.
* To make ahead and bring somewhere, prepare the dressing, pomegranate salsa and greens but keep them separate until you are ready to serve.
Mmmmmm. Delicious greens and colour on the eve of the Winter Solstice. Nice to have you back to entertain and inspire us, Hannah!