This post was inspired by a special recipe contest held by the folks at Pom Wonderful and by Jenn of The Foodie Blogroll.

Sophisticated, yet utterly simple, this delicious alternative to time-consuming French toast is pure pleasure and a new favorite around here. It has rich, aromatic spices with sweet little bursts of pomegranate in each bite.

Try it with the deliciously complex coriander-pomegranate bacon for an exciting new Sunday brunch idea.

Here’s a photo of the Pomegranate French Toast Frittata With Coriander-Pomegranate Bacon below.

Frittata Ingredients:

8 large eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
4 cups French or Italian bread, torn into small chunks
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pomegranate arils (I used Pom Wonderful Fresh Pomegranates)
Powdered sugar (optional)

PREPARATION:

Beat the eggs with the milk and the salt. Melt the butter in a large, oven-proof skillet or paella pan over medium heat.

Add the bread to the pan and toss lightly. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and cinnamon and toss again. Sprinkle the pomegranate arils on top and pour the beaten eggs over evenly. Allow to cook for a few minutes until bottom begins to set, then transfer the pan to the broiler. Cook until the top is set and lightly colored. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Ingredients for the Bacon:

8 slices thick-cut bacon (regular or peppered)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (I used Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice)
2 tsp ground coriander

PREPARATION:

Cook the bacon over medium heat, turning frequently, until just done. Drain on paper towels. In a small pan, mix the pomegranate juice and the coriander and simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Lay out the bacon strips on a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and brush with the pomegranate glaze. Broil for a minute or two, taking care not to let the glaze burn. Turn the bacon over and repeat on the other side.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Please join us tomorrow to read our new article Everything But the Gobble: 20 Recipes To Make the Most of Your Thanksgiving Leftovers.

If you enjoyed today’s recipe, you might also enjoy these other interesting posts that feature pomegranates:

• Pomegranate-Infused Ginger Chicken With Sesame Scallion Dumplings
• Coconut Chipotle Mojo Shrimp With Pomegranate Relish
• Chicken Pomegranate Stuffed Shells With Gorgonzola Cream and Pine Nuts

This post was inspired by a special recipe contest held by the folks at Pom Wonderful and by Jenn of The Foodie Blogroll.

Let’s start at the end, shall we? When the cooking time is over, you lift the lid, the steam rises, and suddenly you are enthralled by the combined fragrances of  pomegranate, ginger, shallots, aromatic spices and potions – and the matchless perfume of fresh steamed dumplings. You inhale… deeply… and smile.

Not a bad way to start a meal, don’t you think?

This recipe is easy, but produces a rich and complex sauce that infuses the chicken with magnificent Asian flavors and the mellow sweetness of pomegranate. The dumplings are a link between the “chicken & dumplings” tradition of the West, and the steamed buns of the East.

(Special thanks to Kian of RedCook for his inspiring Hong Shao Rou / Red Cooked Pork recipe!)

Here’s a photo of the Pomegranate-Infused Ginger Chicken With Sesame Scallion Dumplings below.

Ingredients:

Note: you can use chicken breasts in this recipe, but reduce the cooking time by ten minutes.

3 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4  lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
2 Tbsp minced shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
White parts of 3 thin scallions, chopped (reserve green parts for dumplings)
3 Tbsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp grated orange zest
3 tsp ground star anise
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 cups pomegranate juice
3/4 cup pomegranate arils (I used Pom Wonderful Fresh Pomegranates)

Dumplings:
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 tsp salt
Green parts of 3 thin scallions, cut into fine shreds (about 2 Tbsp)
Water

Garnish:
Chopped cilantro
Grated orange zest

PREPARATION:

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir, using a wooden spoon, until sugar darkens just slightly. Turn heat to high, add the chicken pieces, and stir well to coat. Cook chicken for a few minutes until the outside of the chicken pieces turn opaque.

Reduce heat to medium-high and add the shallots, garlic, scallion, ginger, orange zest, and star anise. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until shallots and garlic have softened a bit.

Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to simmer. After 30 minutes, stir in the pomegranate arils and return to simmer.

After adding the pomegranate arils, prepare the dumplings: toast the sesame seeds in a heavy pan over medium high heat until lightly colored, stirring regularly so they toast evenly. Allow them to cool slightly and coarsely crush them in a mortal or spice grinder.

In a mixing bowl, combine the seeds, flour, salt, and scallions, and gradually add enough water to make a soft, wet dough (you want it soft enough to dollop with a spoon.)

While the chicken is simmering, drop large spoonfuls (about 2-3 tablespoons) of the dough onto the surface of the sauce, then allow to steam (without removing cover) until dumplings are cooked through (about 7-10 minutes, depending on size.)

Serve the “chicken & dumplings” immediately, sprinkled with chopped cilantro and additional orange zest. Serves 4 - 5.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Please join us tomorrow to find out more about our recipe for Pomegranate French Toast Frittata With Coriander-Pomegranate Bacon as part of this week’s special focus on pomegranates.

If you enjoyed today’s recipe, you might also enjoy these other interesting posts that feature pomegranates:

• Coconut Chipotle Mojo Shrimp With Pomegranate Relish
• Chicken Pomegranate Stuffed Shells With Gorgonzola Cream and Pine Nuts

This post was inspired by a special recipe contest held by the folks at Pom Wonderful and by Jenn of The Foodie Blogroll.

Stuffed shells are easy, impressive, fun, and really delicious…so why don’t we make them more often? Maybe because it’s one of those dishes that are so good and so visually appealing that it just seems like they should be more trouble. But really, they’re not: they’re less of a bother than lasagna or homemade ravioli and they offer a vast landscape of creative possibilities.

I’d been thinking about making stuffed shells recently and wanted to do a slightly different twist on the classics, but I just wasn’t finding an inspiring motivation. When I started working with pomegranates, though, the lightbulb went off!

Just thinking about it made me dizzy: bright bursts of sweet pomegranate in a filling of creamy ricotta and shredded chicken (yes!); a topping of Gorgonzola cream with toasted pine nuts (perfect!); and…..something else…a simple, fresh note to tie it all together…

Homemade parsley oil! Eureka!

I didn’t, as Archimedes is said to have done after making the same exclamation, run naked through the streets of Syracuse (Syracuse, Sicily is too far away – and Syracuse, NY is far too cold this time of year for that sort of behavior.)

I did, however, drop everything and run to the store – clothed, of course. After you read this recipe, I hope you’ll do the same; what you wear is up to you! 

Here’s a photo of the Chicken Pomegranate Stuffed Shells With Gorgonzola Cream and Pine Nuts below.

Ingredients:

20 jumbo shells (about half of a 12 oz box)

Filling:
1 - 15 oz container ricotta cheese
1 cup pomegranate arils, divided (I used Pom Wonderful Fresh Pomegranates)
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (this is a great use of leftover rotisserie chicken)
1 Tbsp finely minced parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 large egg, beaten

Topping:
2 - 3 Tbsp pine nuts
1/4 lb Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup chicken broth

Parsley Oil:
1/4 cup parsley leaves, lightly packed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt

PREPARATION:

Cook the shells according to package directions. While the shells are cooking, gently combine the ricotta cheese, 2/3 cup of pomegranate arils, shredded chicken, minced parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste and add more salt if necessary, then mix in the beaten egg.

Toast the pine nuts over medium heat, stirring regularly, until nuts are lightly golden (about 2 - 4 minutes.) Remove from pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

When shells are cooked, drain well and rinse with cold water. Fill each shell with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese/pomegranate mixture and place in a lightly-oiled baking dish or casserole.

In a blender or food processor, mix the Gorgonzola with the chicken broth until well blended. Spoon the mixture over the tops of the stuffed shells and bake, covered, for 20 - 25 minutes until filling is set. When cooked, you can finish the dish under the broiler for a minute of two until the topping is lightly colored, if desired.

While the shells are baking, combine the parsley leaves, olive oil, and salt in a blender or food processor until very well blended.

To serve: drizzle each serving with a little parsley oil, then sprinkle with pine nuts and the remaining pomegranate arils. Serves 4 as an entree; 5-6 as an appetizer.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Please join us tomorrow for our special Thanksgiving Day post, A Plate on the Floor for Thanksgiving.

If you enjoyed today’s recipe, you might also enjoy our recent recipe for Coconut Chipotle Mojo Shrimp With Pomegranate Relish.

This post was inspired by a special recipe contest held by the folks at Pom Wonderful and by Jenn of The Foodie Blogroll.

This week, I’ll be doing a series of recipes that feature one of my childhood favorites: pomegranates. They made an indelible impression on me as a child; they seemed so exotic and mysterious, a fruit unlike any other, so vivid and magical. And they were such fun to eat! With their many-chambered troves, they just kept on giving and giving. To a small child, a pomegranate was more than a fruit, it was almost a form of entertainment: it seemed that there was always one more hidden cache of the sweetly tart ruby gems to be joyfully discovered.

But they were a rare treat then. Now that they are more widely available, I get to play with them as much as I like, in all sorts of different dishes. The recipe below combines pomegranate with some of my other favorites in an exciting, brightly flavored appetizer.

I’ve always had a special love for mojo, the marinade that infuses many Cuban dishes with garlicky goodness. On a recent trip to the store, I found a chipotle mojo next to the regular and didn’t hesitate in grabbing one.

For this recipe, I combined the mojo with coconut to infuse the shrimp with a spicy, exotic flavor. Then, I grilled them quickly over hot coals to crust them, and dredged the skewers in crushed, roasted sesame seeds.

The result? An addictive combination of flavor and crunch that was a big hit at the dinner party I held as part of our special “Hand-to-Mouth” Meals Series on Shrimp, and how it gets to your table.

The relish, a healthy combination of pomegranate, tangerine, Vidalia onion, and lemongrass is a naturally sweet and refreshing companion for the spicy skewers.

Note: Mojo marinade is available in the Latino foods section of the supermarket. If you can’t find chipotle mojo, use regular mojo blended with a teaspoon of chipotle powder, or with one or two canned chipotles.

Here’s a photo of the Coconut Chipotle Mojo Shrimp with Pomegrante Relish below.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chipotle mojo
1/4 cup flaked coconut
24 Jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 large tangerines
2/3 cup pomegranate arils (I used Pom Wonderful Fresh Pomegranates)
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 Tbsp minced lemongrass
1/3 cup sesame seeds
Pinch of salt
4 bamboo skewers
Additional pomegranate arils for garnish
Chopped cilantro (optional)

PREPARATION:

In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, chipotle mojo, and flaked coconut. Stir in the shrimp and allow to marinate for 1 hour.

When you are nearly done marinating the shrimp, prepare the relish. Slice off the top of each tangerine (reserve the tops), spoon out the flesh (keeping the shells intact), remove the seeds, and chop. In a bowl, combine the chopped tangerine with the pomegranate arils, the onion, and the lemongrass. Spoon the relish back into the tangerine cups.

Toast the sesame seeds in a heavy pan until golden. Allow to cool and pulse the seeds along with the salt in a processor or spice grinder until coarsely crushed. Spread the crushed seeds on a shallow plate.

Thread six shrimp on each skewer and grill for a minute or two until just cooked. Immediately dip both sides of each skewer into the crushed seeds.

To serve, place a tangerine cup on each plate. Lean a shrimp skewer against the cup, using the reserved tangerine top to hold the skewer in place. Sprinkle the plate with additional pomegranate arils.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Please join us tomorrow to find out more about our recipe for Chicken Pomegranate Stuffed Shells With Gorgonzola Cream and Pine Nuts.

If you enjoyed today’s recipe, you might also enjoy these other interesting posts:

• Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp With Capers
• Mac and Cheese Paella With Shrimp and Scallops
• Coastal Carolina Shrimp and Grits Tart

Fun to make (and even more fun to eat!), this recipe grew out of my love for ravioli (the bigger the better!) and for fragrant, versatile fennel.  The richness and depth of flavors belie the fact that there’s only 1 tablespoon of oil and very little added salt in four servings.  It’s healthy, delicious, and family-friendly too, as each person can pitch in to make their very own giant-sized triangular ravioli.

Here’s a photo of the Chicken, Olive, and Asiago Triangolari With Sherry Braised Fennel below.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
1 small yellow squash, finely grated & squeezed dry (about 1/2 - 3/4 cup)
4 Tbsp chopped green olives (about 20 - 24 olives)
3 Tbsp grated Asiago cheese
1-1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp white pepper

(**1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt, if needed)

1 large (or 2 small) fennel bulb(s)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1/3 C sweet Sherry (see Cook’s Note)
2 Tbsp raisins
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
3/4 C water

1 can chicken broth
12 egg roll wrappers

Fennel fronds for garnish

PREPARATION:

In a mixing bowl, gently combine the first seven ingredients (through white pepper.) (**Note: The olives and cheese may provide enough salt; cook and taste a small amount of the mixture before adding any additional salt.**) Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors mingle while you prepare the fennel.

Cut off the tough green stalks of the fennel just above the white bulb. Reserve a small handful of the feathery fronds for garnish; roughly chop one of the green stalks and set aside. Trim the base and slice the white bulb into 1/4 inch pieces, discarding the tough core.

In a heavy lidded skillet or saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the sliced fennel and pine nuts, stirring frequently, until the nuts are toasted and the fennel has begun to caramelize (about 5 - 7 minutes.) Add the Sherry and let the alcohol cook off for a minute, then add the raisins, salt, white pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

**Note: This dish can be made ahead to this point**

In a wide, shallow non-stick pan, heat the chicken broth with enough water to equal a 1 inch depth. Add the rough-chopped green fennel stalk and simmer gently while you prepare the triangolari.

In the mixing bowl, divide the chicken mixture into quarters. Use these as a guideline: each quarter will be the filling for three triangolari.

On a lightly floured surface, lay out an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape (with the lower point towards you.) Cut across the center from left to right, making two large triangles. Using your fingers or a pastry brush, wet the edges of both triangles with a little cool water. Put the chicken mixture on the lower triangle, forming and flattening it out slightly into a roughly triangular shape, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Lay the other pasta triangle on top and press the wrapper lightly around the filling to push the air out, firmly sealing the edges all around as you go. Use the tines of a fork to further seal and flute the edges. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Remove the green fennel stalk from the broth and discard. (Add more water if needed to return liquid to 1 inch depth.) Bring the broth to a gentle boil and slide 3 - 4 triangolari into the pan, taking care not to crowd them. Cook them in the simmering broth for 5 - 6 minutes, turning once.

Lift them out carefully with a slotted turner. Remove to platter and keep warm while cooking the remainder. Don’t discard the broth when finished.

Reheat the braised fennel and add 2 - 3 Tbsp of the broth (which will be thickened from the cornstarch on the wrappers) to the sauce. Stir thoroughly and heat through.

To serve: Mince the reserved fennel fronds. Spoon a little of the sherry/fennel sauce onto the plate. Mound 1/4 of the braised fennel on one side and lay three triangolari in a row, slightly overlapping. Drizzle any additional sauce on top and sprinkle with the minced fennel fronds.

Makes 4 Servings (3 triangolari and 1/4 of the braised fennel per person)

COOKS NOTES:
Fennel is sometimes mis-labeled as ‘Anise’ in produce departments.

Eggroll wrappers are not exactly square, so you may get a better fit by reversing one of the triangles after cutting.

If you don’t have Sherry, Port is a good substitute, or you can use diluted brandy (or a white wine/brandy mix) with a pinch of sugar added. To make it non-alcoholic, you can use a tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar diluted with 1/4 cup of water.
Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

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