Honey Fermented Pomegranate
Fermenting is fun, easy, and so nutritional. Look – Pomegranate!
We’ve all heard about probiotics lately. Fermenting gives food those extra probiotics naturally. Lots of enzymes and just plain ‘good stuff’. So here’s an easy delicious recipe using pomegranate seeds to get those healthy probiotics in. And its oh so crazy good! I plan a jar of this for Thanksgiving holidays, with some small jars filled with burgundy goodness set aside to give to guests who love it. Its that good!
Fermenting is an age old way of preserving food and enhancing flavors. Some folks may recall huge crocks of stinky cabbage on their grandma’s back porch or cellar. Fermenting is so much more than just kraut. This recipe is fruit fermented in natural raw honey. So good as a spread, on porridge, or as a relish. And its a delicious way to introduce your family to fermenting!
Fermented Pomagranate Cranberry Salad: (this recipe can be halved)
3-4 pomagranates, peeled and divided, remove the pith
1 bag fresh raw cranberries
1/2 to one whole fresh pinapple, chopped and shredded
1 navel orange, peeled
1 teaspoon vietnamese cinnamon or ceylon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or ginger spice
1/2 to 1 pint raw honey, preferrably from a local bee farm
Options: Spices can be varied as you like them. Try pumpkin or apple pie spice, these are basically the same spices listed above.
Peel pomagranates. Divide the seeds carefully. Several ways to do it without getting pomegranate juice all over the walls. Place seeds in a large mixing bowl.
Chop cranberries with a nut chopper. Get a nice coarse chop going, you want identifiable pieces of fruit. Add to the mixing bowl.
Peel and core the pineapple. I cut into tidbits and then run my knife blade over the cutting board to ‘shred’ the pineapple. You can use a food processor if you want the fruit very fine. I like it more coarse. Add to the bowl.
Cut orange in half. Squeeze out the juice. Scrape out the pulp and separate. Its good in the salad too!
Mix all the fruit together with a large spoon or by hand. Sprinkle the cinnamon and clove and mix thoroughly. Spoon into two quart jars. Divide the liquid between the two jars. Begin adding honey, about one cup or less. Let the honey mix with the juice, then very slowly pour over the fruit in the jars, letting the thick liquid fill up the space between the fruit slowly so that air bubbles can escape. Fill the remaining space with just raw honey, leaving at least an inch air space. Wipe the rim of the jars and loosely put a cap on. Place jars in a pie dish and sit in a cool spot on the counter for three days, until the risk of overflowing has passed. Refrigerate after one week.
This delicious concoction will last in the fridge up to three to six months, if you can stay out of it.
