Pomegranate, Gem of the Kitchen

This is the season of the pomegranate, that dull red globe with the perfect crown, its thin skin filled with an intricate architecture of ruby seeds.

Or rather it’s sort of the season. Pomegranates are indeed making their brief annual appearance at produce counters everywhere; lavish holiday arrangements almost always feature at least one or two of these ancient symbols of hope and renewal. But that’s it. As actual food the pomegranate is, as usual, very nearly nonexistent.

Although its color is luscious, its flavor delightful, and although it is most obligingly durable, the pomegranate has never made much headway here. This may be because the seeds are daunting; there’s only a tiny bit of flesh on each. It’s useless to try to get rid of the seeds; you eat them instead, crunching them up along with the flesh as part of the experience.

That’s what they do in the Middle East, where pomegranate seeds garnish all manner of salads, pilafs, fish and meat dishes and desserts. Pomegranate juice is a key component of several famous recipes, above all when combined with ground walnuts in the elegant Persian duck stew called fesenjan. In desert countries, where the fruit grows well, dazzling pomegranate sherbets are year-round favorites.

Pomegranates grow in warm climates and are widespread in the Old World: Italy, Israel, Greece, Iran, (former Soviet) Georgia. They come gold and pink and green, large and small, with seeds and without. The favorites for cooking are quite sour and are used in many of the same ways as lemons. They also form the basis of a delicious sweet-sour pomegranate molasses known as dibs rumman in Arab countries and rob-e anar to Iranians, which is only available here in stores that specialize in Middle Eastern groceries.

Much more common is grenadine syrup, which gets its name from granade , the French word for the fruit. The original was made from sugar and concentrated juice, but a modern grenadine may be nothing but corn syrup and food coloring, with no pomegranate in it all; check the label before buying. Even the best grenadine is extremely sweet, so use only a small amount, and only in sweet and sour dishes, to perk up orange juice, add dash to mixed drinks or flavor fruit compotes (it’s lovely with pears).

Although pomegranates come in many different colors, flavors and sizes, nearly all of those sold in the United States are a sweet red variety called Wonderful, which ranges in size from baseball to softball. Larger fruits are preferable, but only because they’re easier to deal with.

The important thing is weight. It’s an indicator of juice, so the heavier, the better. The skin should be an even brick-red, without wrinkles or bruised spots. The calyx should be firm, not shriveled or dry-looking.

Pomegranate juice is a powerful stainer, so wear an apron and plastic gloves when you remove the seeds. Use a sharp knife to score the thin, leathery skin into quarters, taking care not to cut into the flesh. Break the fruit in half, then into quarters, and break the individual seeds away from the bitter membranes. It’s best to use them within a few hours, but they will keep for a couple of days in a plastic food bag in the refrigerator.

To make pomegranate juice, remove the seeds, crush lightly, then strain. Or gently roll the fruit until seeds are bruised, poke a hole in the skin and let it drain. Whatever you do, don’t bruise the membranes; they’re absolutely loaded with tannin and will turn the juice astringent if roughly handled.

It’s festive and easy, sweet and sour--and red and green, as suits the season. Steamed rice is the obvious accompaniment but baked squash is a favorite at our house.

POMEGRANATE CHICKEN WITH PISTACHIOS 2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken parts (breast, leg and thigh) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, finely chopped 1 large sweet red pepper, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 cups chicken broth, homemade or canned low-salt 1/4 cup grenadine syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt Juice of 1 lemon 1 cup pomegranate seeds, about 1 baseball-sized fruit Steamed rice or baked squash, optional 1/2 cup roasted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped

Trim extra skin and any lumps of fat from chicken. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine butter and olive oil in wide heavy skillet and cook over medium heat until bubbling. Add chicken pieces, skin-side down, in single, uncrowded layer. (Cook in 2 batches if necessary).

Raise heat to medium-high and fry chicken, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan with tongs and set aside. Pour off and discard (or save for bread-making) all but very thin film of fat. Add onions, sweet red pepper and garlic, turn heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Do not let brown.

Return chicken to pan, add broth and grenadine. Bring liquid to rolling simmer, then lower heat slightly. Partially cover pan and cook chicken 45 minutes or until meat is falling from bones and liquid is reduced by about 2/3. (Chicken may be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance.)

Remove chicken from sauce and set aside to keep warm. Tilt pan and skim off as much fat as possible. Add salt and about 1/2 lemon juice and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary to get sweet-and-sour effect. Stir in pomegranate seeds and any juices that have accumulated under chicken.

Pile rice in center of heated platter and arrange chicken pieces around. Spoon sauce over meat, sprinkle with pistachios and serve at once. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about: 523 calories; 843 mg sodium; 153 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 48 grams protein; 0.81 gram fiber.