Packing a slightly sour, sweet fruity flavor and thick, syrupy texture, pomegranate molasses is a powerhouse ingredient used throughout the cooking of the Middle East, Iran and the Caucasus region.
Mymouné brand pomegranate molasses is the sharpest, brightest molasses we have tasted. Unlike many other brands that include sugar and additives, Mymouné is made from nothing but pomegranates.
We like to blend it into simple olive oil vinaigrettes for leafy green or grain salads or sautéed kale or spinach.
Try drizzling over roasted vegetables, then dust with za’atar and a pinch of Aleppo or Urfa pepper flakes.
It pairs particularly well with the earthy flavors of roasted or puréed sweet potatoes or winter squash.
Pomegranate molasses’ fruitiness offsets the starchiness of legumes—add a spoonful to a bowl of braised lentils with a garnish of feta and herbs for a simple meal. Or it can galvanize store-bought hummus or a homemade dip, like our Eggplant-Walnut Dip.
It’ll bring out the best in sliced tomatoes; just add torn mint or basil, a little olive oil, and coarse salt.
The syrupy texture makes it ideal for glazing roast lamb, pork or chicken. Slather it on while the meat rests after cooking, then whisk a tablespoon of butter into the pooled juices for an instant sauce. For grilling, try brushing on the meat during the last moments over the coals. (Don’t add too soon; it will burn).
On the sweet side, try sharpening your oatmeal—or any hot cereal—with a spoonful of pomegranate molasses and dried cherries and pistachios or almonds. Drizzle over ice cream, sorbet or even fruit salad. It can boost apple pie filling or intensify the flavor of plums or peaches in any dessert.
And don’t forget cocktail hour—think of pomegranate molasses as a lighter, brighter grenadine. Mix with vodka and seltzer water—or skip the booze and add pomegranate to ginger beer or iced tea with a squeeze of lime. It’ll even make a great Shirley Temple or Roy Rogers.
Mymouné Pomegranate Molasses
Purchase here.
Twenty years ago when John Willoughby, the former executive editor of Gourmet magazine, sang the praises of pomegranate molasses, I, of course, made fun of him for suggesting yet another hard to find ingredient. As usual, I was wrong and he was right. I now use this simple ingredient every week, adding it to soups, stews, salad dressings—just about anything that could use a hit of sweet and sour. I discovered this brand through a restaurant in Cambridge called Moona. The bottle will last a long time, and it is so much better than the sweeter, less balanced supermarket products.
