POM Juice is Wonderful!

As a kid I loved pomegranates. My grandma would bring me and brother one each and we'd cut them open and get the juice and the seeds everywhere. Loved it. Somehow the mess was half the fun. Maybe not for my mother :) My kids love pomegranates, too!  Only now I know the trick of pulling the seeds out in a big bowl of water. So they don't go everywhere. But we never do that. That's no fun. Although I do cheat and buy them already seeded! Or juice! The folks at POM Wonderful were nice to send me a case of POM juice. Eight lovely little bottles arrived the other day, and I was forced to leave a note to my kids on two of them that said, HANDS OFF! and they listened! Because they knew something good would come out of it!

And something good did...

Lamb Chops with a Pomegranate Glaze!

Pomegranate Glaze, thick and syrupy!

The recipe called for steaks, but I had lamb chops and no steak, so that was that. And it was an absolutely gorgeous day to grill. So the Griller took care of the chops, while I started on the salad dressing and the glaze! Miss Picky won't touch lamb chops, so she had the glaze on boneless, skinless grilled chicken breasts.  

Everyone was happy! 

 and I still have one bottle left. All mine. I'm sure it will end up as cocktail! Definitely!

Arugula and Baby Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Lamb Chops with Peppercorns and Pomegranate Glaze
Source: Bon Appétit - November 2009/ Test Kitchen
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

8 baby lamb chops
Peppercorn mix, coarsely ground (pink, green, white, black peppercorns) or all black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pomegranate juice
4 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Salad:
2 cups arugula
3 cups baby spinach
small jar marinated mushrooms
handful shredded carrots
half red pepper, half yellow pepper, sliced thin
big handful of toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon of the pomegranate glaze
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle chops very generously with pepper and salt.  Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops; cook to desired doneness. Transfer lamb chops to platter.

Add pomegranate juice, golden brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar to skillet; if grilling use a small saucepan, and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup glaze, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season glaze to taste with a bit of salt.

In a jar, add the olive oil, rice vinegar, salt and pepper and a tablespoon of the pomegranate glaze. Shake it up. Adjust seasonings, if needed.

Toss spinach, arugula, carrots, mushroom, and bell peppers with the vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Divide salad evenly among the plates. Top with toasted walnuts. Place two or three lamb chops alongside the salad. Drizzle glaze generously on the lamb chops and serve.

Thanks again to Ryan at POM Wonderful!

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