Pomegranate Vinaigrette

I'm trying to get in the spirit of fall.  Truth be told, I do like pomegranates and all they labor they entail.  That being said, the cold weather is already dragging me down.  We've already seen snow in these parts.

Look at the reds and greens in that salad.  It just looks Christmasy.  I'm not sure I'm ready for this.  Let's add some hot chicken to throw off that wintery feeling.

Start by juicing one pomegranate.  I would suggest using a blender or food processor on the seeds, aka arils (avoid the bitter pith).  I had had a long day at work and took some sort of perverse pleasure in the tedium of juicing each aril by hand. 

I ended up with about a third of a cup of juice, which I topped off to a half cup with some red wine vinegar (about 3 tbs).

I then added a half cup of extra virgin olive oil.

A dash of salt, some fresh cracked peppercorns, and a tsp of dried mustard finished this vinaigrette.

Put it in a small bottle and shake to mix (the oil will naturally separate out if left sitting, just give it a good shake before serving).

Pour this over a light salad garnished with pomegranate seeds.  For a little heavier salad, add some chicken.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Ingredients:

• 1 pomegranate (plus 1 more to garnish salad, if desired)
• 3 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fresh pepper
• 1 tsp ground dried mustard

Instructions:
1.  Separate the seeds from the pith of a pomegranate.  Discard the pith, put the seeds in a food processor.  Strain out the juice and discard the remaining solids.
2.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the juice.
3.  Shake before serving.