Pomegranate Wine Food

POMEGRANATE WINE

Steps:

• Add the sugar and half the pomegranate juice to a saucepan and bring it to a boil on the stove. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved, allow it to cool to room temperature.
• While the juice is cooling, dissolve the yeast into 1/4 cup of luke warm water. Allow it to bloom for at least 5 minutes, or up to several hours.
• Pour the sugar and pomegranate juice into a fermentation vessel. Add yeast nutrient (or raisins), acid blend (or lemon juice) and tannin powder (or black tea).
• Add the remaining pomegranate juice, and add the yeast that you dissolved in water earlier.
• If necessary, top the fermentation vessel with water to bring it to within a few inches of the top.
• Seal with a water lock and ferment for 2 weeks.
• Rack into a clean fermentation vessel with a siphon and continue to ferment for another 4 to 8 weeks until the fermentation has stopped.
• Bottle and age a minimum of 2 weeks, but preferably several months before drinking.

POMEGRANATE WINE JELLY

Steps:

• Combine wine, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and pectin in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam off top, if necessary.
• Ladle hot jelly into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tighten 2 piece lids. Process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath.
• *Note--you can use any kind of wine you like. I like to use a pinot grigio--mostly because it is my favorite, but also because it makes a really pretty pink jelly.

POMEGRANATE-PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir shallots 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• Increase heat to high. Add pomegranate juice and port; boil 15 to 20 minutes or until reduced by half. Add broth; boil 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine flour and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk into broth mixture; reduce heat to medium. Boil gently 3 minutes. (Sauce can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate).