Pomegranate Recipes Two Ways: Salad and Duck

Pomegranate Recipes Two Ways
Vibrant Winter Salad and Crispy-Skin Roast Duck

We’re coming up on the tail end of pomegranate season in the U.S., which runs from September through January, making now the perfect time to take advantage of this beautiful fruit. With their jewel-like arils, pomegranates bring a bright pop of color, a refreshing balance of sweet and tart, and plenty of natural antioxidants.

In today’s recipes, pomegranates appear in two very different dishes: a composed butter lettuce salad and a roast duck with mashed potatoes. Both use pomegranate arils and pomegranate molasses, yet the fruit plays a distinct role in each—bringing brightness and contrast to the salad, and cutting through the richness of the duck with sweet-tart depth.

Pomegranate Recipes

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

• 3 T. olive oil
• 2 T. pomegranate molasses
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 t. dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Place ingredients in a jar and blend with an immersion blender. Tip: For this small amount, it’s easy to use a milk frother wand to blend, rather than the larger immersion blender.

Pomegranate Salad

Butter Lettuce, Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Pomegranate Arils, Pistachios
Gorgonzola, Watermelon Radish, Watercress, Homemade Croutons

Tender butter lettuce forms a soft, flavorful base, while jewel-like pomegranate arils and tangy Gorgonzola add sweet-tart brightness and creamy richness. Crunchy pistachios and homemade croutons provide texture, and thinly sliced watermelon radish adds a pop of color and subtle peppery bite. A few delicate watercress sprigs top the salad, and a drizzle of pomegranate vinaigrette brings all the flavors together in a balanced, lively salad.

• 1 head butter lettuce
• watermelon radish, thinly sliced into quarter-moons
• pomegranate vinaigrette
• gorgonzola, crumbled
• pomegranate arils
• roasted pistachio nuts, rough chopped
• watercress sprigs
• homemade croutons
• flaky salt and fresh ground pepper

To Plate

Build lettuce leaves on a serving plate in an open flower pattern. Tuck radish among the leaves. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with gorgonzola, then with pomegranate arils.

Sprinkle with pistachios. Arrange watercress sprigs among the salad. Finish with croutons and salt and pepper.

This crunchy colorful salad serves 2. The dressing is a deep red-brown color so drizzling with a light touch, then serving more vinaigrette on the side, keeps the salad pretty and bright for presentation.

Roast Duck with Poms and Pommes de Terre

Half Roast Duck, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Gorgonzola
Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Pomegranate Arils, Fried Sage

Rich, succulent roast duck is paired with creamy mashed potatoes laced with tangy Gorgonzola. Bright pomegranate vinaigrette and jewel-like arils add a sweet-tart lift, while buttery, shatteringly crisp fried sage finishes the dish with deep, savory aroma and irresistible crunch.

Roast Duck

• Maple Leaf Farms roast half-duck (precooked and partially de-boned)
• olive oil
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place ducks in a shallow roasting pan, skin-side-up. Let ducks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Brush the skin with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until the duck meat is hot and the skin is extra crispy.

Fried Sage Leaves

• butter
• olive oil
• sage leaves
• fine sea salt

Heat equal parts of butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, use tongs to add sage leaves in a single layer. Fry the leaves just until crisp. Remove to paper towels. Finish with a pinch of fine salt.

To Plate

• creamy mashed potatoes
• gorgonzola, crumbled
• pomegranate vinaigrette (warmed for 5 -10 seconds in microwave)
• fried sage leaves, crumbled by hand
• pomegranate arils
• roast half duck, sliced in two

Spread a warm shallow serving bowl with mashed potatoes. Crumble gorgonzola over the potatoes. Push some of the cheese into the hot mashed potatoes with the back of a spoon to partially melt. Ladle warm vinaigrette just around the edge of the potatoes. Scatter fried sage and pomegranate arils (more or less) to taste around the perimeter. Arrange duck pieces on top.

This recipe serves 2  (a half-duck sliced into a breast with wing piece, and a thigh with leg piece). Remove crispy duck pieces to 2 dinner plates. Use a serving spoon to plate a portion of the mashed potato mixture, arils, and sage along side the duck.

(The inspiration for the flavors in this dish was The Bryce Pork Chop).