pomegranate – Lost Recipes Found

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Grapes, Pomegranate, Fingerlings & Shallots

December 19, 2022

I often hum in the kitchen, especially when the meal prep is for a special gathering. For this delicious pork loin dish–with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme all fragrantly present, the tune had to be Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair.”

I first encountered a version of this recipe 17 years ago, in acclaimed chef Suzanne Goin’s James Beard Award winning cookbook, “Sunday Suppers at Lucques.” Goin’s Los Angeles restaurant Lucques lasted for nearly 21 years, closing in 2020, but the beautiful recipes in her cookbook live on! The New York Times did a version of the loin 16 years ago, replacing spring onions and haricot verts with shallots, grapes and fingerling potatoes, which I liked very much. To give the dish a holiday slant that goes very well with the pork, ours has a tart/sweet sauce made with fresh-pressed pomegranate juice and white wine.

Honoring Goin’s practice of using best possible ingredients, I make this with farm-sourced produce, and use French Dijon for the mustard marinade (Maille is good—Bornier, even better!) I use champagne grapes, but seedless red grapes (choose small, firm ones) works as well. Continue Reading…

Vegetarian

Heirloom Squash Medley with Arugula-Tahini Vinaigrette, Fried Sage, Pomegranate and Pumpkin Seeds

November 23, 2022

I love winter squash–so sweet and nutty, rich and warm. Simply roasting the many varieties will give you a platter full of deep flavors and silky textures. But adding Chef Sarah Stegner’s brilliant green arugula-tahini vinaigrette, plus fried sage leaves, pomegranate, and pumpkin seeds puts this dish in another realm of delicious: Perfect for your Thanksgiving table.

“There are so many kinds of squash to work with!” says Stegner of Prairie Grass Café in Northbrook, IL. “Each of the local farms I source squash from seems to have one type it specializes in: Froggy Meadow grows beautiful Black Futsu and Blue Hubbard. Three Sisters does giant Butternut. And Nichols—while offering some of the more traditional squashes such as Acorn and Delicata, also grows Butterkins with really intense flavor.”

Stegner created this medley as the opening course for a special dinner celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Simply roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper, the squash is very easy to make at home. So is the vinaigrette and garnish.

“A lot of home cooks shy away from fresh sage because it has such a powerful flavor,” notes Stegner. “But frying it transforms the herb and perfectly mellows it.” Continue Reading…

Festive Roast

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Grapes, Shallots, Fingerlings, Pomegranate & Herbs

October 20, 2022

I often hum in the kitchen, especially when the meal prep is for a special gathering. For this delicious pork loin dish–with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme all fragrantly present, it had to be Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair.”

I first encountered a version of this recipe 17 years ago, in acclaimed chef Suzanne Goin’s James Beard Award winning cookbook, “Sunday Suppers at Lucques.” Goin’s Los Angeles restaurant Lucques lasted for nearly 21 years, closing in 2020, but the beautiful recipes in her cookbook live on! The New York Times did a version of the loin 16 years ago, replacing spring onions and haricot verts with shallots, grapes and fingerling potatoes, which I liked very much. Ours has a tart/sweet sauce made with fresh-pressed pomegranate juice and white wine to go over the top.

Poultry Perfection

Persian Quail with Pomegranate Walnut Sauce (Fesenjan)

November 24, 2020

Sweet, tart, earthy and rich, this beautiful celebratory Persian dish originated thousands of years ago in the Iranian province of Gilan on the Caspian Sea. You may have seen fesenjan served as a chicken stew, but here, I’ve elevated the dish by serving the sauce with honey-and-spice-glazed grilled quail–a gorgeous presentation for fall and winter feasts. If you prefer? Swap out the quail for grilled bone-in chicken. Continue Reading…