Cooking with Red Jewels

Issue 96 September

The pomegranate has been mentioned in numerous ancient texts. The Qur’an speaks of the fruit as an example of the good things God has created.

 

Grilled lamb steaks with pomegranate and roast tomatoes

 

Ingredients 

4 large tomatoes, each cut into four

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100g pomegranate seeds 

Small bunch of flat leaf parsley finely chopped

1 lemon finely grated

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped 

4 lamb steaks 

Salt and cracked black pepper

Crushed potatoes to serve

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Arrange the tomatoes in a small roasting tray, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over half the olive oil. Place in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes.

Mix together the pomegranate seeds, parsley, lemon, garlic & chilli.

Put a medium sized griddle pan on a high heat. While you are waiting for it to heat, coat the lamb with the rest of the olive oil and season well.

Griddle the lamb for a couple of minutes each side, longer if you like it well done.

Take the tomatoes from the oven and place on the side. Once the lamb is cooked leave to rest for a couple of minutes in the tray with the tomatoes.

Divide the lamb and tomatoes between four warm plates, spooning over any of the juices from the tray.

Sprinkle over the pomegranate gremolata and serve with crushed potatoes.

 

 

Grilled chicken with pomegranate and pistachio jewelled cous cous

 

Ingredients

200g cous cous

4 medium sized chicken breasts 

100g pomegranates seeds

50g pistachios, roughly chopped

50g dried apricot, roughly chopped

1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 lemon finely grated and juiced 

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Sat and cracked black pepper

 

Method

Preheat a kettle then place the cous cous in a medium sized bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover the cous cous, then leave to soak.

Place a griddle pan over a medium heat. While you are waiting for the griddle to heat, coat the chicken with half of the olive oil and season well.

Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down and cook for five to six minutes each side, until firm to the touch. 

While the chicken is cooking, gently break up the cous cous grains with a fork, then stir in the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, apricots, parsley, shallots, lemon and olive oil. Season well and then divide between four plates.

Slice the chicken breasts and serve with the cous cous.

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