Pomegranate Fiesta!!

When it's fall, it's Pomegranate Time. To celebrate, with some help from the lovely folks at POM, I had a great Pomegranate Fiesta!!

At the par-tay, I taught everybody how to open pomegranates and how to get out the seeds. Although most guests had never done it before, everybody had a lot of fun doing it.

To eat, I took everybody on a trip around the world!! We had a lovely North African salad with goat cheese, caramelized almonds, persimmons, and pomegranate seeds with a pomegranate dressing. From Argentina, we had empanadas stuffed with pomegranate-braised beef and served with a pomegranate chimichurri. From the Middle East, we had Persian stew of pomegranates, walnuts, and chicken. And for dessert, we had a lovely American blueberry and pomegranate cheesecake.

A great time was had by all (check the pomegranate tossing contest in the pictures below!!). I definitely recommend incorporating pomegranates into your recipes for both tart taste and bright, bright color!!

Avocado Muhammara with Smoked Paprika Flatbread

Avocado Muhammara with Smoked Paprika Flatbread

2 medium red bell peppers
2/3 cup fresh toasted bread crumbs
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
2 avocados for Mexico
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
4 Middle-Eastern style round flatbreads (or pitas)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Avocado slices, for garnish
Lemon slices, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place red peppers directly on the grate over open flame on the stove. Rotate every few minutes until the skin is totally blackened. Place red peppers in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam for 10 minutes. Discard blackened skin, stem, and seeds. Roughly chop red pepper.

Add bread crumbs, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and cayenne to the bowl of a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add roasted red pepper, avocado, honey, pomegranate molasses, and 1/2 cup olive oil; puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (and adjust other seasonings as desired: e.g., cumin, lemon juice, honey).

In a small mixing bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and smoked paprika. Brush both sides of flatbreads with smoked paprika olive oil. Season with salt.

Bake flatbreads directly on the middle rack 5-7 minutes or until lightly crispy. Use a pizza slicer to cut each flatbread into 8 pieces.

Fill a bowl with dip. Place bowl in the middle of a large platter. Surround with toasted flatbread pieces. Sprinkle plate with mint leaves. Garnish with avocado slices and lemon slices.

Makes 16 servings.

Moroccan Avocado Summer Salad

Moroccan Avocado Summer Salad

1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Large pinch ground coriander
1 tablespoon finely minced red onion
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces spring mix greens
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves
3/4 cup diced cucumber
3/4 cup diced tomato
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
2 avocados
1/2 cup diced dried figs
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

In a small bowl combine vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, coriander, onion, and garlic. While constantly whisking, drizzle in olive oil. Season vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Dice avocados. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon lemon juice. In a large mixing bowl combine spring mix greens, mint, cucumber, tomato, and goat cheese. Season the greens with freshly ground black pepper. Add vinaigrette, and toss until greens are well covered. To serve, plate 6 individual plates with salad. Top with equal amounts of figs, almonds, and avocado.

Makes 6 servings.

Avocado Mango Dessert Quesadillas

Avocado Mango Dessert Quesadillas

1 1/4 cup diced avocado plus 6 avocado slices
2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 diced mango
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Pinch salt
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Dark agave nectar, for drizzling
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Dulce de leche or vanilla ice cream

In a medium mixing bowl, combine diced avocado and 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice; toss to coat. Add mango, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves to mixing bowl with the rest of the avocado; toss until well combined. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice over avocado slices.

To assemble quesadillas, spread 1/4 of the cream cheese on top of each tortilla, leaving a small edge. Take two of the tortillas and top each with 1/2 of the avocado/mango mixture. Cover with remaining tortillas (cream cheese-side down).

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Carefully transfer a quesadilla to the skillet. With a flat metal spatula press down firmly on quesadilla in pan; cook for about 2 minutes. Carefully flip over entire quesadilla and cook on other side, for about another 2 minutes, pressing down with spatula. The tortillas should be golden brown. If necessary, turn the heat down if tortilla is getting too brown. Repeat with other quesadilla.

Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges and place 2 overlapping wedges on each plate. Drizzle with agave nectar. Garnish with reserved avocado and mint. Serve with ice cream.

Makes 6 servings.

Polynesian Avocado Ceviche

Polynesian Avocado Ceviche

3/4 pound fresh white fish fillets (e.g., mahi-mahi, sea bass, tilapia)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (plus lime slices, for garnish)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup finely minced red onion
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded, finely minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large avocados for Mexico
1 cup diced English cucumber
1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint leaves (plus mint sprigs, for garnish)
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut, lightly toasted

Drain pineapple (reserve juice). Cut fish into 1/2-inch dice. In a glass dish, combine 1/2 cup lime juice, coconut milk, pineapple, sesame oil, red onion, ginger, garlic, and serrano pepper; mix well. Add fish. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain off almost all of the liquid (you can leave a little bit).

Dice avocado and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice. Add avocado, cucumber, and mint to fish mixture. Mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve in martini glasses or on small plates. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Garnish with mint sprigs and lime slices.

Makes 6-8 appetizer servings

Moroccan Guacamole

Moroccan Guacamole

4 ripe avocados from Mexico, halved, seeded and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 medium red onion, finely minced
1/4 cup finely minced roasted red pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Large pinch ground cumin
Large pinch ground coriander
Large pinch ground cayenne
Small pinch ground cinnamon
Small pinch ground cloves
Small pinch ground allspice
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
4 seeded dates, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine avocados, lemon juice, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and mint. Mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Stir in cucumber, dates, and mint leaves. Mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 batch guacamole

Yemenite Guacamole

Yemenite Guacamole

4 ripe avocados from Mexico, halved, seeded and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 medium red onion, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Large pinch ground cumin
Large pinch ground coriander
Large pinch ground cayenne
Small pinch ground cardamom
1/2 cup (canned) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 dried figs, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine avocados, lemon juice, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and cardamom. Mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Stir in chickpeas, figs, and mint leaves. Mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 batch guacamole