Easy salmon recipe with pomegranate glaze

Regardless of what the weather tells us, you know its fall when you see piles of fresh pomegranates in the market. Don’t pass them by. While they have a reputation for being tricky to work with, they really aren’t. All you do is cut the fruit in half and squeeze it, as you would a lemon, over a bowl of water. The white membrane floats to the top, making it easy to separate.

My daughter loves to snack on pomegranate seeds — and I love to incorporate them into my cooking. They add jewel-like sparkle and color to salads, and make a simple dish look dressed for company.

This week’s recipe is a perfect case in point. You can certainly make the salmon with a pomegranate glaze and not accessorize with fresh seeds, but the seeds add crunchy texture, tang and color to the meal. Fresh seeds keep well for several days in a bowl of water. You may find yourself adding them to smoothies, sprinkling over cakes and tarts, tossing them with roasted vegetables, and, of course snacking on them.

Pomegranate Salmon

1 cup pomegranate juice

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons honey

2 (quarter-sized) slices ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 6-ounce pieces salmon filet

½ teaspoon coriander

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Parsley for garnish, if desired

Pomegranate seeds for garnish, if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the pomegranate juice, orange juice, honey, ginger and ¼ teaspoon of the salt in a small saucepan. Boil over medium high until reduced to ½ cup, about 12 to 14 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons water. When the glaze has reduced, stir in the cornstarch mixture and boil 1 minute. Set aside.

4. Season the salmon with the coriander, cumin, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper.

5. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the salmon, skin side facing up. Cook until well-browned, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the salmon over and pour the glaze over the fish. Bake in the oven 6 minutes. Just before serving, brush again with the glaze in the pan, and serve with any remaining pan sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and pomegranate seeds if desired.

Makes 4 servings