MoFo 9: Reductions II

Tequila Sunrise
Originally uploaded by Marni Molina

Continuing with yesterday's discussion of reductions, I thought I'd offer another extremely versatile recipe. This one's easy to make at home, made from a liquid that's available year-round, and you'll save some money if you reduce your own as opposed to buying it.

I'm talking about Pomegranate Syrup, aka Grenadine. Though the stuff you get in the store sometimes has cherry syrup in it, the "good stuff", in my opinion, is all pomegranate.

Here's the formula I typically follow...

Pomegranate Syrup

• 1 24-ounce bottle of pomegranate juice (I typically use Pom Wonderful)
  
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1. Place juices and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat down a bit to keep mixture gently bubbling. Keep an eye on it and adjust the temperature down as the liquid reduces if necessary. Cook it until it reduces to 1/2 - 1/3 the original volume, this may take about an hour.
   
2. Allow to cool, bottle, label, and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

I can hear the cries of all you fellow DIYers out there, "Store-bought juice? Pshaw! I'll make my own!" And you totally can. I've just found in the past that seeding and juicing the number of pomegranates you'd need to get enough juice to make a reduction isn't really worth the effort. This is one of those times I go the easier route.

Pomegranate Syrup is fantastic in a number drinks, like:

• iced tea
  
• lemonade
  
• a slew of cocktails
  
• beer (really, it's called "Christmas Beer")
  
• various sodas

It's also great on foods, including most of the foods listed in yesterday's post on Balsamic Syrup. Additionally, you can get lots of recipe ideas on the Pom Wonderful website. So give it a try and get creative. You'll be surprised at all the uses you find for Pomegranate Syrup.