Several years ago I bought Baby Lady a Pomegranate Tree. When she asked, I remembered when I was a young boy and would walk to my grandmother’s house. On the way to her house there was a family that had a large Pomegranate tree in the front yard. This family was friends of my grandmother. I knew better than to go into their yard and pick the fruit off of their tree as I was taught it was impolite without asking. Anyway, Grandmother always had fresh pomegranates from her friends so there really was no need. The tree was prolific. I always loved to see the tree in the fall full of lush red fruit and I couldn’t wait for Grandmother to have some fresh fruit from her friends. So, when Baby Lady asked me for a Pomegranate tree I didn’t bat an eyelash. She wanted it, we got it. Plain and simple. My love of pomegranates had nothing to do with it. I planted it in the back by the driveway out of view of unscrupulous fruit pickers. Then we anxiously awaited each year to see if it would bear fruit. We watched it blossom with the beautiful reddish orange blossoms and the fruit would start but it never made it to ripeness. Part of the problem was the yardmen who always seemed to knock off the fruit. The other problem was the tree was still young. Last year we thought we were going to get some to ripeness but they mysteriously disappeared. GRRR.  This year we finally got fruit. Joy oh joy!!! In celebration of being able to harvest we fixed this dish.

The Pomegranate is a luscious, versatile, red fruit. It has a slightly sweet, tart, citrusy flavor that is the perfect foil to fish like salmon yet versatile enough to serve with chicken, beef and game. Literally translated pomegranate means (“seeded apple”) taken from its beautiful red color, round, spherical shape and dozens of small ruby-colored, flavor packed seeds (“arils”) inside. They are symbolic of prosperity and abundance in virtually every civilization. Many scholars also believe that the irresistible fruit that Eve partook from the Garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate.

Pomegranates are native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and were cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. Given the climate in North Texas, no wonder it does well here.

Ingredients

For the Salmon

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 4 garlic cloves, mashed
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 whole filleted Salmon, skin on, roughly 3 pounds

For the Glaze

• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
• Salt
• 1 cup shelled edamame, for garnish
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Combine the soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, agave nectar, garlic, ginger, salt and white pepper in a large, shallow dish. Add the salmon fillet and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning a few times.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses with the agave nectar, soy sauce, garlic, fresh ginger and lime zest.

Preheat the broiler. Transfer the whole salmon fillet to a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and brush with half of the glaze. Broil 4 inches from the heat for about 3 minutes, until the fillet begins to brown. Brush the fillet with the remaining glaze and broil for about 3 minutes longer until richly glazed and the fish is just cooked through. Transfer the fillet to a large serving plate. Garnish with the edamame and pomegranate seeds and serve with Brown Rice.

Serve and enjoy!