Pomegranate Rice and Vegetable Salad with Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

    Salad
  • Juice from 2-3 large POM Wonderful pomegranates* or 180ml POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
  • 150g arils from 1–2 large POM Wonderful pomegranates
  • 75g uncooked wild rice
  • 175ml water
  • 25ml (5 tsp) almond extract
  • 230g uncooked pearl barley
  • 710ml water or vegetable broth
  • 160g cooked chickpeas
  • 115g zucchini, chopped
  • 60g red onion, chopped
  • 50g (2 tbsp) fresh basil, chopped
  • 10g (1/4 tsp) fresh parsley, chopped
  • 110g toasted almonds, slivered

  • Vinaigrette
  • 80ml vinegar
  • 4g (1 tsp) granulated sugar
  • 2g (1/2 tsp) salt and black pepper
  • 160ml olive oil

Directions:

1. Score 1-2 fresh pomegranates and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranates under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 150g of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)

2. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.*

3. Mix vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.

4. Cook wild rice in pomegranate juice, 180ml water and almond extract; set aside.

5. Cook pearl barley in 700ml water or broth; set aside.

6. In a large bowl, mix cooked barley, cooked wild rice, chickpeas, zucchini and red onion. Add in vinaigrette a little at a time. (All may not be needed.) Toss in fresh herbs, almonds and arils. Serve at room temperature or warm.


* For 240ml of juice, cut 2-3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.