Pomegranate power

Make a fresh and tasty pomegranate cosmo for all your friends to enjoy!

The easiest way to eat a pomegranate is to cut off the crown and score the skin in quarters without cutting the fruit all the way through. Soak in cold water for up to 10 minutes, and while it is still in the bowl, break it apart and remove the seeds from the flesh - the seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the membranes from the bowl, drain the seeds in a colander, and either eat them fresh as a snack, sprinkle over salads, or make your own grenadine syrup. To do this, combine the juice of about 15 pomegranates with 215g sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.

Increase the heat a little and gently boil, without stirring, for 15 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly. Use this syrup in non-alcoholic drinks, or mix with vodka, gin or white liquors. 

Be careful not to stain your clothes or countertops with the juice!

Pomegranate Cosmo

For one serving:

3 tbsp fresh pomegranate juice, 3 tbsp vodka, 4 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp Cointreau sugar syrup (optional). 

To make the pomegranate juice, gently roll the whole pomegranate in the palm of your hand to softly burst the juice sacks surrounding the seeds. Make a small hole at the base of the fruit and drain the juice into a jug. 

Combine three tablespoons of fresh pomegranate juice with three tablespoons of vodka, four tablespoons of limejuice, one tablespoon of Cointreau and half a teaspoon of sugar or sugar syrup (can be left out). 

Serve in a chilled martini class for a fresh and zingy new idea for a cocktail. 

Cassandra Tanti