Pomegranate season has arrived at the grocery store.
The pomegranate is an ancient fruit originally from Persia (Iran). Of late, it has been attributed with anti-oxidant properties, but I use it because it is delicious.
Bacon Pomegranate Mushroom Salad combines these three ingredients with crisp romaine lettuce and a Buttermilk Cucumber Dressing (see below).
Bacon Pomegranate Mushroom Salad
Print recipe| Serves | 4 |
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine lettuce (washed, broken into bite size pieces and spun dried or wicked in a tea towel.)
- 10 - 12 medium to large cremini mushrooms (wiped with a dampened paper towel and sliced)
- 2 Strips of lean bacon (fried just cooked enough to crumble)
- Seeds from 1/4 of a medium to large Pomegranate
- 1 cup Buttermilk Cucumber Dressing
Directions
| Cut the end off the Romaine lettuce and discard any tough outer leaves. Using a paring knife shave off the thickest part of the vein of the leaf. Break the leaf into bite-sized pieces. Wash and then spin in a lettuce spinner or drain and dry in paper towels. Wrap in a clean tea towel to wick away any moisture and crisp up the Romaine. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. | |
| Cook the bacon; drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble. Set aside. | |
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Cut the pomegranate into half and then cut one half in half again to make a quarter. Refrigerate all but one quarter of the pomegranate to use another day. To easily remove the seeds. Place the flesh side of the pomegranate into the palm of your hand and gently, but firmly hit the outer skin with a wooden or heavy spoon.  | |
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The seeds will fall out, but the white membrane will stay with the skin. A very fast way to seed a pomegranate.  | |
| Make the Buttermilk Cucumber Dressing. | |
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Fill a salad bowl with the crisp Romaine lettuce, the crumbled bacon, Pomegranate seeds and the Cremini mushrooms. Toss with the Buttermilk Cucumber Dressing. Serve immediately. | |
Buttermilk Cucumber Dressing
| Serves | 1 cup |
| Inspiration | Canadian Living Cookbook |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp unflavoured plain yogurt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tsp dried dill weed
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped chives (or 1 tsp dried chives)
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley (or 1 tsp dried parsley)
- 1 Small clove of garlic (grated or minced)
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Cucumber Marinade
- 1/2 Medium to large English Cucumber (peeled and grated)
- 1/4 Tsp salt
- 1/4 Tsp white sugar
- 1/4 Tsp white wine or white Balsamic vinegar
Directions
| Cucumber Marinade | |
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Cut the cumber in half. Peel one half . Coarsely grate using a box grater. Add to a small bowl along with the salt, sugar and wine vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes.  | |
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In large measuring cup or medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, dill, chives, parsley, garlic and pepper.  | |
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Squeeze most of the moisture out of the cucumber marinade. Add to the dill mixture. Chill until ready to use.  | |