Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds

A friend of mine recently bemoaned her crowded fridge—lined with beautiful, if overly abundant pomegranates, twelve in all, accumulated over weeks of deliveries.  She wondered what could be done with so much fruit.  I described our battle plan.  We’d been dumping the perky seeds into all manner of salads, slowly and steady.  It had become a nearly nightly ritual.  A tasty one.

Recently I’ve branched out beyond the salad bowl though.  Turns out pomegranate seeds are one of those secret, unexpected culinary weapons with their hint of sweet-tart flavor and tiny, juice-splattering crunch.  They shake our taste buds up a bit, in a new and different way (though admittedly in many cultures they are nothing new at all).  We sprinkle them over a rice pilaf or stir with earthy whole-grain farro and roasted sweet potatoes.  Or skip the grains entirely and simply top the roasted veggies on their own—the spiced sweet potatoes and kale, or alternatively roasted seasonal faves like cauliflower, beets, broccoli or carrots.  Sometimes we add toasted nuts and a handful of chopped herbs if we feel inclined.  A squeeze of lemon.

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