POM Wonderful!

I learned at a very tender age that “Have it, it’s good for you!” would inevitably refer to something that tasted very bad. Fast forward a couple of decades (OK, OK so it’s more than that, I confess, I confess!) and  I’m a fan of Pom Wonderful because  it’s actually “good for you,” delicious and refreshing.

Delicious, refreshing, good for you

Pomegranate juice has a great concentration of antioxidants, various studies say it is similar to red wine, purple grape juice and black tea. Preliminary research has shown that it may reduce the danger of various types of cancer, it may reduce serum cholesterol and protect arteries from clogging. In the summer I like it as an ice cold drink, but it is a very popular ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It is also used as a marinade for grilled meats.

Since we are in the Nine Days and meat may not be eaten, I thought it appropriate to bring you a delicious fish recipe, which I adapted from Perfect Jewish, by Elizabeth Wolfe-Cohen, published by Parragon Books.

Photo from: Perfect Jewish, page 106. - Copyright by: Parragon Books, Ltd.

Stuffed Oven-Baked Trout with Pomegranates

Yields: 4 servings

• 4 Whole trout, about 10 to 12 oz each, cleaned, scaled, rinsed and dried
• vegetable oil for oiling
• 2 tablespoons margarine

Stuffing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and skinned
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
• 4 tablespoons POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice
• salt and pepper
• 1 ripe pomegranate

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare the stuffing. heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium high fire. Add the onion and cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
2. Stir in the pistachios, cardamon, POM Wonderful and the remaining oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. With a sharp knife, slice off the top of the pomegranate. Cut the thick skin into 6 wedgesand pull apart into sections. Carefully scoop the seeds into a small bowl, removing the skin membranes and reserving any juice. Add about three quarters of the seeds to the stuffing and stir to combine.
4. Oil a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the fish. Season fish to taste with salt and pepper, inside and out. Cut into the fish’ skin diagonally 2 to 3 times on each side. Spoon one quarter of the stuffing into each fish. Arrange in the dish.
5. Drizzle with the melted margarine. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the flesh flakes when pierced with a tip of a knife. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with the remaing pomegranate seeds and juice.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS