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Pomegranates add zing to this veggie

Recipe: Ruby roasted Brussels sprouts topped with pomegranate molasses

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED DEC 8, 2019

Pomegranate arils dress up Brussels sprouts. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)

This side dish was made for the holidays; the fresh pomegranate arils among the roasted Brussels sprouts look like little glistening rubies. The red and green combo is sure to be a conversation starter.

Most of our Brussels sprouts this time of year come from somewhere other than Sacramento, where this vegetable is notoriously hard to grow. As a cool season vegetable, the sprouts are common in stores and farmers market.

Here the dish is garnished with walnuts, which are optional.

Pomegranates are at their peak availability -- especially if you have a tree. Since I made the pomegranate molasses last month, I've been watching for new ways to use it. This combination of sprouts, pomegranate and walnuts was suggested by a recent recipe in the New York Times.

This method is different from the Times' whole-roasted sheet-pan directions. This recipe also uses more pomegranate plus balsamic vinegar. The fruit's distinctive sweet-tart flavor contrasts nicely with the sprouts' nuttiness. (The Times added walnuts for extra crunch.)

The deep red pomegranate molasses adds more zing and color; a little makes a big impact.

Ruby roasted Brussels sprouts
Adapted from the New York Times

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Pomegranate and Brussels sprouts: Who knew?

1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, preferably pomegranate
Salt and pepper to taste
Arils (seed pods) from one-half pomegranate, about 1/3 cup
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place Brussels sprouts in a 9-inch square baking dish. Drizzle sprouts with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, toss to coat. Salt and pepper to taste, then toss again.

Roast sprouts in 350-degree oven for 40 minutes (30 minutes if quarters are small), turning once or twice.

Meanwhile, seed the half pomegranate; set aside the arils.

When the sprouts are fork tender, remove from oven. Add pomegranate arils, toss gently. Drizzle pomegranate molasses over top. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top, if desired. Serve warm.

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RECIPE

A recipe for preparing delicious meals from the bounty of the garden.

Keywords:

recipes gardening Sacramento cooking backyard produce produce management pomegranates Brussels sprouts fall fruit winter fruit

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Garden Checklist for week of May 19

Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.

* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.

* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.

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