Buy This Now: Pomegranates, with 12 recipes

Every year about this time, the questions begin streaming in. To paraphrase: “How do I clean a pomegranate without looking like a mass murderer?�

The plea is understandable. Sweet and tangy as they are, pomegranates are undoubtedly the “un-convenience� fruit.

Not only do you have to break through that tough, leathery outer shell, but then you have to pry apart the pith to get to the delicious, though admittedly seedy, edible parts.

Fun fact: Technically, what you eat from a pomegranate is not a seed but an aril -- the tiny, fleshy, fruit-like structure covering the seeds. Other arils with which you may be familiar include the fleshy covering of the nutmeg -- which we dry and grind to mace -- and the sweet, juicy flesh of the lychee.

There are actually a couple of easy ways to clean a pomegranate. My preferred method is this: Score the skin in quarters and open it up. Then put each quarter underwater and use your fingers to ream the seeds from the inside. The pith is light and will float to the top; the heavier seedy fruit will sink. Here’s a video to show you how.

There’s another popular method that seems to work well, too, and it’s worth trying even if only for the novelty. In this technique, you cut the pomegranate in half latitudinally, then holding the fruit cut-side down over a bowl, pound on it with a ladle or wooden spoon. Most of the seeds will pop right out.

In my experience this is not quite as effective at removing the seeds, but it is quite a successful stress-reliever.

Pomegranate fruit is usually used as a garnish -- ruby gems on a fall or winter plate. For a more usable form of pomegranate flavor, look for juice (now widely available) or molasses, which can be found in Middle Eastern stores.

How to choose: Select pomegranates that are heavy for their size; they’ll be the juiciest. Don’t worry too much about the color of the rind: It can vary from completely red to reddish-brown without affecting the quality of the edible fruit. Do look for deep color though.

How to store: Pomegranates can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days; after that they should be refrigerated. Stored this way, they’ll last at least three to four weeks. Once they’ve been seeded, the seeds also can be frozen in a tightly sealed bag.

Are you a food geek? Follow me on Twitter @russ_parsons1.

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