Author Ann Kleinberg's book
Pomegranates opens new vistas on the use of an ancient fruit.
Kleinberg set herself to a task that even she thought might be daunting
- a book of recipes using pomegranates. The general response from
her friends, says Kleinberg, was one of shock. "What could
you write?" a friend would ask. But then, that same friend
would pause to think, and continue, "Come to think about it,
I remember a dish my grandmother made," and a recipe would
be forthcoming.
Kleinberg has collected recipes
that use this antioxidant-rich fruit in both traditional and imaginative
modern ways. There are hors d'oeuvres, such as bruschetta with goat
cheese, red onion, and pomegranate salsa, there are main courses
such as chicken in Root Vegetable, Pomegranate and Dried Fruit Sauce,
there is a pomegranate barbecue sauce, recipes for salads, drinks
and desserts.
For us, this has been a book
about discovery. We admit that we still love pomegranates as decoration
in a fruit bowl, but now we have learned to love their tart and
sweet taste. The author includes descriptions of how to select and
store the fruits, open them, and cook with them. The emphasis is
on healthy ingredients that are commonly available, though once
in a while an exotic spice or combination of flavors is sprinkled
in.
The recipes are clear and concise,
their directions easy to follow and the book is lavishly illustrated
with beautiful phonographs by Josef Salis.
About the author: Ann Kleinberg,
a former New Yorker now living in Israel, has been a food columnist
for the Jerusalem Post, has written internationally about
food and edited several cookbooks. She also writes humorous essays
about the cultural differences between America and Israel.
Ann has kindly shared these
recipes with us:
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