Apple-Pomegranate Muffins

In my continuing experiments with new foods, today was the day for pomegranate. I remember eating the seeds as a child, with a spoon, right out of the halved fruit. Since then, I don't think I've had one except in the ubiquitous form of Pom juice - and my fresh pomegranate had the Pom label!

One of my sources recommended removing the seeds in a bowl of water, to eliminate mess and to allow any bad seeds or bits of pulp to rise to the surface - the seeds sink. I did that, and it worked pretty well, although it was still a fussy exercise and there were remaining bits of pulp to remove.

Pomegranate can apparently be substituted for berries of various sorts in recipes, so I used them in a recipe that was originally designed for cranberries. The recipe was Apple-Cranberry Muffins, from Once Upon a Tart . . . : Soups, Salads, Muffins and More, by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau. The recipe calls for 6 large muffins, and I was making 12 smaller muffins, so I reduced the cooking time from 40-45 minutes at 400F to 20-22 minutes. The outcome was excellent - very pretty and tasty and the pomegranate seeds provided a nice crunch.

Pomegranates are also used in savory sauces, and I may have to try that next. I also have some dried mung beans on hand - that's the next experiment!