The Winter No-Gria

The Winter No-Gria

Guests who are forgoing alcohol can still raise a toast with this lovely-hued mocktail, designed especially for the season. You can make it more of a punch by adding additional fruit, such as pomegranate seeds or chopped grapes.
Ingredients:
4 oz white grape juice
1 oz chamomile tea
1/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
2 oz pomegranate juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped green or red apple
Directions

Add all ingredients to a small glass bottle. Can be sealed and chilled for up to 1 week. To serve, empty contents into a glass with ­ice.
Makes 1 serving

Blackberry Pomegranate Sangria

Blackberry Pomegranate Sangria

Ingredients:
2 bottles red Spanish table wine or other dry red wine
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup triple sec
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup pure pomegranate juice
1/2 cup simple syrup, or more to taste (equal parts sugar and water,
heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
Orange slices from 1 or 2 oranges
Apple slices from 2 apples
1 cup fresh blackberries
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and let stand in a tightly sealed container or pitcher for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Strawberry-Rose Cheesecake

For all of its luscious richness, this cake is delightfully light, refreshing, and beautiful. It doesn't hurt anything for our summer days that it's not baked, but chilled for a good long time, so you can make it up to a few days in advance. Top the cheesecake with strawberries and blueberries for a 4th of July beauty.

Ingredients:

1 envelope plain powdered gelatin (such as Knox brand)
½ cup pomegranate juice
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 ounces salted butter (1 stick), melted
1 pound cream cheese (2 8 oz. boxes)
1 cup labneh or plain Greek yogurt
⅔ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon rose water
1 pound strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped, 

   reserving a few for garnish
⅓ cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saucepan, slowly sprinkle the gelatin over the pomegranate juice, letting the powder saturate in the juice as you go. Warm the mixture over medium low heat until the gelatin is dissolved, taking care not to bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a small bowl to cool completely.

Heat the oven to 360°F. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter. Press the damp crumbs evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. The crumbs can be pressed up the sides of the pan partially, or kept along the bottom only. Bake the crust for about 20 minutes, or until it is fragrant and firm. Cool completely.

In the bowl of a food processor, or in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, pulse or whisk the cream cheese and labneh with ⅔ cup of the sugar and rose water until they are completely smooth and no lumps remain.

Add the strawberries and pulse or whisk until the berries are fully incorporated into the cheese mixture. Pour in the cooled pomegranate juice mixture and mix just to combine (over-stirring the gelatin can render it less effective). Taste and add more rose water if needed.

Pour the strawberry-cheese mixture into the prepared and cooled graham cracker crust. Chill for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. 

To remove the cake from the spring form pan, wrap the pan with a kitchen towel that has been rinsed in very warm water and wrung out. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake, then open the spring form ring, run a large metal spatula under the crust, and transfer the cake to a serving platter.

Combine the sour cream with a teaspoon of sugar and spread it over the top of the cheesecake. Arrange the reserved whole berries in the center of the cake, and serve cold.

Roast Cornish Hen With Pomegranate Glaze

  Roast Cornish Hens With Pomegranate Glaze        

If fresh hens are available, they are juicier and have a better texture than frozen ones. Four small hens will feed 4 people; larger ones may be cut in half, serving half per person. However, make an extra in case people want seconds. Use low-sodium or homemade chicken broth in the sauce, for the best taste.

Herb Butter
¼ cup (50 mL) butter, softened
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped parsley
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh chervil or tarragon
1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon rind
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Glaze
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped shallots
½ cup (125 mL) red wine
½ cup (125 mL) pomegranate juice
2 cups (500 mL) chicken broth
3 tbsp (45 mL) chilled unsalted butter, cut in squares
¼ tsp (1 mL) truffle oil or more to taste

Directions:

Remove backbones from hens by cutting along either side with kitchen shears. Take a knife and cut through the small piece of cartilage just above the breastbone. Bend the hen backward to expose breastbone, and gently remove. Remove wing tips and first joint. Reserve bones for stock or discard (or have the butcher do it).

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Beat together butter, parsley, chervil and lemon rind and reserve. 

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season hens with salt and pepper and place, 1 at a time, skin-side down in skillet. Cook for 3 minutes or until golden, then turn over and cook another minute. Remove hens to rack over a roasting pan, skin-side up and reserve skillet for making glaze. Brush hens with seasoned butter.

Bake hens for 35 to 40 minutes or until juices are clear.

Remove fat from skillet while hens are roasting and wipe with paper towel. Add shallots, red wine and pomegranate juice over high heat. Bring to boil and reduce until syrupy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and continue to cook until reduced by half, about 5 to 7 minutes. Beat in butter. If sauce is too thin boil until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in truffle oil to taste. Re-warm when needed.

Cut hens in half and coat with a little glaze. Drizzle the plate with any remaining glaze.

Serves 4