Creamy Cheesecake with Pomegranate Topping

Creamy Cheesecake with Pomegranate Topping

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Cool the heat from your chile-spiked dish with a slice of this rich cheesecake. Fresh pomegranates in the topping make this a beautiful, unforgettable dessert. Recipe courtesy of Pomegranates.org, where you’ll find many more recipes featuring pomegranates.

Ingredients

Crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 9, 5 X 2.5 crackers)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened


Filling:

2 8-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest

Topping:

Seeds from 2 pomegranates
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9-1/2 inch springform pan, place crust ingredients and with fingers, blend well. Press mixture evenly over bottom and 3/4 inch up side of pan.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat filling ingredients on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until cheesecake is just set in center. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) Transfer cake in pan to a rack and cool, about 3 hours.

Place juice in a 1-cup liquid measure and add water. Sprinkle gelatin over pomegranate juice and let stand 1 minute to soften gelatin. Remove the seeds from the pomegranates.

Transfer gelatin mixture to a small saucepan. Add sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a bowl and set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, stirring mixture gently until it is cold and slightly thickened but not set. Stir in pomegranate seeds and spoon topping onto chilled cheesecake. Chill cake until topping is set, about 1 hour. Remove side of pan and serve chilled.

Heat scale: mild

Roast Duck Breasts with Pomegranate-Chile Sauce

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The pomegranate component in this dish is provided by another popular product: Pom brand bottled pomegranate juice. This can be made with chicken breasts instead, but be sure to roast them until cooked through. Recipe courtesy of Selma Brown Morrow of Bon Appétit.

Ingredients

Sauce:

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cups refrigerated pomegranate juice (such as Pom)

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

4 large dried New Mexican chiles, stemmed, seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo*

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (not toasted)

Coarse kosher salt


Duck:

8 5-to 6-ounce boneless duck breast halves, skin and fat trimmed to size of breast

Coarse kosher salt

Ground coriander

Fresh pomegranate seeds

Instructions

For sauce:
Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add juice, broth, and California chiles. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Puree in tightly covered blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in adobo sauce, vinegar, and cumin. Season to taste with generous amount of coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before using.


For duck:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Score skin of duck (don’t cut into flesh) with 5 cuts in 1 direction; repeat in opposite direction, making diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck all over with coarse salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Place 2 large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin side down, to skillets, dividing equally. Cook duck until skin is crisp and deep brown, about 7 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 1 minute. Pour off fat. Transfer skillets to oven. Roast duck until cooked to medium-rare, about 5 minutes.

Transfer duck to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice each breast crosswise on slight diagonal. Arrange slices on plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Heat scale: medium

*Dried, smoked jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

Lamb Fesenjan – Lamb with Pomegranate Walnut Sauce

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This recipe is courtesy of Saad Fayed. A restaurateur with an avid interest in preparing Middle Eastern cuisine, he has lived and traveled in many Middle Eastern countries, experiencing the flavors and specialties of each region. Saad is currently writing a cookbook that features his family’s favorite dishes. Pomegranate syrup (also known as pomegranate molasses) can be purchased online from The Spice House.

Ingredients

large onion, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 pounds lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup pomegranate syrup

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

2 cups walnuts, crushed

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

In a large frying pan, sauté onions in olive oil. Once onions begin to brown add lamb cubes. Simmer on low and allow to cook for about 25 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare pomegranate sauce by combining the chicken stock, pomegranate syrup, walnuts, and sugar in saucepan over low heat. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Once lamb is done simmering, drain fat and juices. Add spices and mix well. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add pomegranate sauce and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with white rice. Sprinkle toasted walnuts on top for garnish.

Heat scale: mild

PAMAgranate Barbecued Salmon

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Here’s another option for cooking with PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur. The recipe also calls for pomegranate molasses (also called pomegranate syrup), which can be purchased online at The Spice House.

This recipe features PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur in a tasty glaze for salmon. For more recipes, visit www.pamaliqueur.com.

Ingredients

2 cups ketchup

2/3 cup PAMA Pomegranate Liquer

5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

¼ cup cranberry juice

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Olive oil

2 ½ to 3 pound salmon filet, about 1 inch thick

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

salmon

Mix all ingredients except the salmon in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture boils, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Prepare a grill or broiler: set on high. If using a grill, brush a rack with oil. Brush the flesh side of the salmon with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the filet, skin side down, on the grill or on a rack under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat. Grill for five minutes. Brush with the barbecue sauce, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

Serve the salmon drizzled with the barbecue sauce as desired.

Heat scale: mild


Pomegranate Chicken

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There are many versions of this dish, which has its origins in the Middle East. Increase the cayenne amount to ½ teaspoon for a more fiery dish. Fresh pomegranate juice gives the sauce a rich, fruity flavor.

Ingredients

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

¼ cup flour

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten


Sauce:

½ cup finely diced onion

1 cup chicken stock

¾ cup pomegranate juice (one large pomegranate)

¼ cup currants

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Cornstarch to thicken, 2-3 teaspoons mixed with cold water

Instructions

Rinse the chicken and divide it into four pieces. Flatten the breasts by covering them with plastic wrap and pounding until they are about ½ an inch thick.

Chop the walnuts finely and combine with the flour in a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Put the eggs into a separate dish.

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then dip each piece into the beaten egg. Immediately dredge in the walnut/flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Remove the cooked onions and set aside.

Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep it warm. Do not wash the skillet.

Add the chicken stock and pomegranate juice to the skillet, along with the cooked onion, currants and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the mint and cornstarch. When the sauce has thickened slightly, taste and adjust the seasonings.

Pour over the chicken breasts and serve with a side of couscous and cucumber/yogurt salad.

Heat scale: mild to medium