POM Lamb With Tatsoi

Preparation

Lamb:

Prepare fresh pomegranate juice, if necessary.* Mix all marinade ingredients together and let marinate for at least 6 hours. Grill over hot flame to medium-rare and let rest. Combine merguez spices together and season lamb after it has been grilled but before it has been sliced. Portion lamb in 4 to 5oz. portions.

POM Reduction:

Combine 2 cups pomegranate juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, red wine, salt and allspice berries in a stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugars have dissolved and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and reduce until about 1/2 cup or a syrupy consistency (approximately 30 minutes). Strain and cool.

Flageolet Beans:

Soak beans overnight, then wash and drain in colander, and pick through beans to remove any foreign objects. In a large sauté pot, add olive oil and lightly sauté onion and garlic, and then add carrot rounds. Add white wine and reduce 90%. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a slow simmer and add beans, making sure they are covered with at least 2 inches of water. Add thyme and bayleaf. Simmer on low until beans are fork tender. Remove onion garlic, carrots and herbs. Place about a quarter of the beans in a blender and puree until smooth . Heat beans and puree in cooking liquid and heavy cream; reduce until creamy. fold in the unsalted butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tatsoi:

Prepare fresh pomegranate arils, if necessary.** Reserve 1 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.) Bring oil to medium heat in sauté pan. Add garlic and brown lightly. Add tatsoi to hot pan and toss to lightly wilt, seasoning with salt and pepper. Plate the tatsoi with flageolet beans and the sliced lamb loin. Garnish with POM Reduction and fresh pomegranate arils. Serve this pomegranate recipe.

*To prepare fresh pomegranate 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.

**To prepare fresh pomegranate arils, score 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate 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.

Ingredients

Marinade:

Juice from 3–4 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate, or 1-1/2 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1-1/2 pounds Australian lamb loin, cleaned
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
zest of 1 lemon

Merguez Spices:

2 tablespoons paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin, ground
1-1/2 teaspoons coriander, ground
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

POM Reduction:

Juice from 4–6 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate, or 2 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 allspice berries

Flageolet Beans:

1 lb. dried white flageolet beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch round
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
4 quarts water or enough to completely cover beans
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 oz. unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Tatsoi:

1 cup arils from 1–2 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates or Pom Pomegranate Arils for garnish
1 pound baby tatsoi (can substitute rosette bok choy, spinach, mustard greens or rapa)
3 cloves garlic, shaved
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste