Pork Roast with Walnut-Pomegranate Filling
Pomegranates become available in late fall just in time to grace holiday tables--all too often as decorations. For this festive roast the fruit is used in three forms: as a thick, sweet molasses for the filling plus whole seeds and juice for the sauce. Slicing through the roast reveals a colorful pinwheel of crushed walnuts mixed with the pomegranate molasses.
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Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
Tips
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. The sauce (Step 6) can be made ahead: cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat before serving
Equipment: Kitchen string
Note: Pomegranate molasses has a bright, tangy flavor. (Don't confuse it with sweet grenadine syrup, which contains little or no pomegranate juice.) Find it in Middle Eastern markets and some large supermarkets near the vinegar or molasses. To buy: Adriana's Caravan, (800) 316-0820, adrianascaravan.com; Kalustyan's, (212) 685-3451, kalustyans.com.
To make your own: Simmer 4 cups pomegranate juice, uncovered, in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 45 to 50 minutes. (Do not let the syrup reduce too much or it will darken and become very sticky.) Makes about 1/2 cup (25 calories per tablespoon). Refrigerate the molasses in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Tip: To seed a pomegranate and avoid the enduring stains of pomegranate juice, work under water. Fill a large bowl with water. Hold the pomegranate in the water and slice off the crown. Lightly score the fruit into quarters, from crown to stem end. Keeping the fruit under water, break it apart, gently separating the plump seeds from the outer skin and white pith. The seeds will drop to the bottom of the bowl and the pith will float to the surface. Discard the pith. Pour the seeds into a colander. Rinse and pat dry.
Nutrition Facts
3/4 fruit , 3 lean protein, 1 1/2 fat