Pomegranate and Poppy Seed Salad

There’s a reason that pomegranates have been called “royalty amongst fruit.” Once their intriguing red leathery skin is removed, an opulent bounty of nature’s gorgeous jewels is revealed — ruby red arils (or seeds) that are sweet, juicy and bursting with flavor. Symbolic of prosperity and abundance, this fruit has been highly prized around the globe for centuries.

I learned from the Pomegranate Council website that many scholars believe that the forbidden, yet irresistible fruit that Eve indulged in from the Garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate (and not an apple.)

The beautiful arils are tempting! These crimson treasures turn this super-easy salad into an enticing, elegant dish! CJK

 Pomegranate and Poppy Seed Salad

(Betty Crocker Seasonal Salads and Sides)

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Salad

1 bunch romaine, torn into bite-size pieces

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

Beat dressing ingredients together with a wire whisk.

Place the romaine, pomegranate and onion into bowl. Immediately before serving, toss with dressing.

Yield: 6 servings

A note from Betty Crocker: When pomegranates are not available, use one cup dried cranberries or two medium oranges, peeled, sectioned and sections cut in half, and two kiwifruit, peeled, sliced and slices cut in half.

A note from Carol: I found the recipe for this attractive, tasty salad several years ago in a little Betty Crocker cookbook called “Seasonal Salads and Sides.” My husband, Ole, and I made it to take to an extended family Thanksgiving dinner. We were definitely “pomegranate novices” at the time. I prepared the salad dressing and tore up the romaine. Ole followed instructions we had found to cut the fruit in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds. To this day, I remember the multitude of red juice stains that had landed on our white curtains that hung above the kitchen sink. (We had to throw them in the washer before leaving the house.)

Over the years we’ve graduated to another pomegranate skill level and remove the arils under water, which alleviates the mess of bright red juice squirting anywhere and everywhere. Here’s a link to the Pomegranate Council’s FAQ page where you can click to see their “Three Steps No Mess Process.”

P.S. Another great salad recipe to serve during the holiday season is the Winter Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing, which I posted last year.