not sure if this belongs here....but i don't know where else to put it.... juice from 2-3 pomegranates* 1/2 cup of arils from 1 large pomegranate 5 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup finely chopped onion 1 cup finely chopped carrots 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons crushed dried basil 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme 1 15-ounce can pumpkin for pie (nothing added), or 1 1/2 cups cooked mashed squash 1 1 1/2 cups Italian Arborio rice** 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Garnish (optional) 1 tablespoons of arils from 1 large pomegranate freshly grated Parmesan cheese Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils. 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 3 tablespoons of the arils (seed sacs); set aside for garnish. Reserve an additional 1/2 cup of arils; wrap in cheesecloth and tie into a bag with kitchen string. Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.* In a medium saucepan combine the pomegranate juice, cheesecloth bag, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, covered. Remove cheesecloth bag; discard. Turn heat to low to keep mixture hot. Place oil in a large saucepan and heat until hot. Sauté onion, carrots and herbs for 5 minutes. Stir in pumpkin and rice; add 1 cup of the broth mixture and cook until liquid cooks away, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining broth mixture and cook 25-30 minutes, stirring very frequently, until rice is thick, creamy and tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Garnish risotto with reserved arils and additional cheese. Makes 4 Main Dish or 8-10 Side Dish Servings *For 1 cup of juice, cut 2 large pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or a juicer. Pour mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside. **Note: Arborio rice is available in the rice and pasta section of large supermarkets. Or, substitute one package of quick-cooking risotto mix for the Arborio rice, following package directions for amount of broth to add and cooking time.
