And, because I have been on a "Pomegranate kick" lately, I also thought I would share a recipe for a Pomegranate Margarita that I found in Pomegranates by Ann Kleinberg (a great read!).
Enjoy!
Pomegranate Margarita
Frost
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup coarse salt
Drink
2 tablespoons Pomegranate syrup (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons Cointreau
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar syrup*
2 ice cubes
To make a frosted edge on the glass, invert the glass into a bowl of pomegranate juice to wet the rim. Prepare a plate of salt and dip the wet edge of the glass into it. Move it around until the entire rim is coated.
In a small pitcher, combine the pomegranate syrup, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and sugar syrup and stir until blended. Pour into the prepared margarita glass and add the ice cubes. Garnish with a twist of lime, if desired.
For a frozen version, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until blended and frothy. Pour into a prepared margarita glass.
*Sugar syrup is easy to make and great to have on hand. Combine equal parts of water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat (or use a microwave oven). Cook, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge.
Pomegranate Syrup
4 cups pomegranate juice
When making pomegranate syrup, you can use freshly squeezed or store-bought pomegranate juice (buy only pure juice, without sugar or flavorings added). You will need a large amount to start with; try it with 4 cups as there is a lot of evaporation in the cooking process. Depending on how thick you like your syrup, 4 cups of juice will reduce to yield about 2 cups of syrup.
Pour the juice into a saucepan or skillet and bring to a steady boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to maintain a steady, low bubbling, and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. After about 20 to 30 minutes the juice will have reduced by about one-half and will start to thicken.
To test consistency, dip a spoon in the syrup-if it comes out relatively clean, continue cooking. If the spoon is coated and the syrup takes its time about sliding off, you've done it! Another method is to drop a spoonful of the syrup on a chilled plate and wait a few minutes (or place the plate of syrup in the refrigerator to hasten the process). If the syrup moves slowly around on the plate, that's it--remove the pan from the heat and let it cool completely. If it is still runny, continue cooking but pay close attention at this point. If you want very thick syrup, continue cooking and then remove from the heat when the syrup reaches the desired consistency or even a little before--it will thicken as it cools.
Pour the cooled syrup into a jar and close tightly. It will keep in the fridge for 6 months.
Bottoms up!
xo Em
