Complex, enigmatic and beautiful.
I’m not sure there’s another fruit on earth that stirs me quite like the pomegranate.
From its distinctive crown to its soft leathery skin to its chambered interior flush with succulent jewels, the ruby red stunner never fails to capture my attention.
And in this part of the world, I am blessed to encounter them frequently on my walks. Although our backyard holds many gems, this particular fruit is not one of them (or, at least, not that we’ve noticed yet).
I say this only partly in jest because it seems that each week since we moved in, we make a new discovery. Persimmon, goji, orange, calla lily and birds of paradise are just a few of the wonders that have revealed themselves to us over the four short months that we have been here.
Our mandarin tree ~ one of the culinary hallmark’s of the holiday season ~ is now heavy with fruit and I’ve kept a close eye as the globes turned from deep green to yellow and now, finally, a promising blush of orange. The fruit will mature over the coming weeks.
We’ve planted two lime trees, a grapefruit tree and a peach tree and are looking into an olive tree! (oh my).
Needless to say, I continue to marvel at the edible landscape that surrounds us and have to give my head a shake every time I walk outside to pluck a lemon off the tree for my sparkling water, tea or food.
The lemons that were used in this recipe, and appear in these photos, are a great success story. As you might imagine, the horticulture scene here can be a little daunting to the uninitiated. I’ve always joked about my lack of experience in the garden and natural black thumb but I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by these gifts from nature that it’s inspiring me to learn.
When we first arrived, the lemons on this tree were no bigger than the tip of my thumb and showed no signs of progress. With a little TLC, we managed to grow them into thriving fruit with a taste unlike any lemon I have ever brought home from a store.
Fresh and aromatic, you not only taste the difference, you can smell it too! After holding the uncut fruit in my hand even for a moment, the gorgeous fragrance of citrus lingers on my skin like lavender.
And speaking of dreamy…
This appetizer? It has to happen.
(I don’t mean to be bossy but you really do want to make it and your relatives really want you to make it too).
If you haven’t yet baked ricotta, you’re in for a treat. Simple, warming, delicious and satisfying are just a few descriptors that come to mind… but also beautiful and decidedly festive, don’t you think? A perfect holiday choice for all generations.
Bon appétit!
- 15 oz/425 grams (about 2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest, or to taste
- 2 tsp fine ground fresh rosemary (I use a small processor) + more for garnish
- ½ tsp salt + optional pepper to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ¼ cup or so pomegranate seeds (arils)
- drizzle of honey for topping
- Heat oven to 375 F
- Combine ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, rosemary and salt together in a bowl.
- Taste the ricotta mixture and make any seasoning adjustments desired - rosemary, lemon juice/zest, salt & pepper - before transferring the mixture into an oven proof dish (ideally ½ - 1 quart size).
- Drizzle olive oil over the ricotta mixture and place it in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until it has heated through and begins to bubble around the edges.
- Carefully remove the dish from the oven and drizzle with a light touch of honey and a sprinkling of sea salt.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds (pressing them gently into the mixture) and rosemary sprigs as desired.
- Enjoy straight away with cut up fruit, vegetables and/or sliced bread/crackers.
2) It's hard to beat the full fruit of the pomegranate for quality seeds - when you cut into the fruit you will find the arials at their freshest, most succulent and richly pigmented. Having said that, you can save time and mess by purchasing the seeds on their own, so the choice (as always) is yours.
3) There are many different ways to present the pom seed topping on this dip. In the featured recipe, I decorated half the ricotta with a generous amount of seeds and created a dividing line with a chunky piece of rosemary. Another attractive way is to sprinkle the seeds all over the surface (they will appear like polka dots) and toss individual rosemary sprigs here and there between the seeds - they will look a bit like pine needles. Really pretty!
4) I did try baking the pomegranate seeds in one version but I don't recommend it. It will dehydrate the seeds and leave them rather lackluster which you definitely don't want. On the other hand, you can tuck some additional seeds into the ricotta mixture (as opposed to leaving them on the surface) for more texture if you wish - this method seems more resilient to baking.
I need your garden. The joys of California…growing all those amazing things. Look at those pomegranates– so stunning!! I’d be inclined to steal one or two on my daily walk, if I was you ;-)
My family always does baked brie at the holidays, usually with strawberries and pistachios. I think I’ll have to suggest this though. Ricotta baked sounds amazing, and I don’t think I’ve ever had it in this way!! It looks SO good, Kelly!
Happy Holidays lovely!!!! xoxo
hello love! Yes indeed the joys… whenever I think of the climate in Northern California, I think of of Cold Play’s ‘Paradise’ :) not too hot, not too cold, just right. Merry Christmas to you KoKo! xx
Wow – this looks incredible! I love the flavor combination. Your fruit trees are so pretty.
thanks Amy! we are very fortunate to be surrounded by an edible landscape – something I don’t think we will be taking for granted any time soon :)
This is so creative! Also, you have access to a lemon AND a pomegranate tree? I am so jealous!
thank you so much for stopping by and Welcome to Inspired Edibles! :)
This seriously looks like a delicious dip Kelly and so pretty too with the pomegranate dotted on it (like little jewels for sure!). Now your garden sounds incredible and definitely one of the bonuses for living so far from Canada. You sure are lucky. My Aunt had a lemon tree on the balcony of her town house in Budapest and it did give her lemons! Even though we are about the same latitude as Budapest, their climate is much more moderate, I doubt a lemon tree would survive here.
You’re so right about the similar latitude… the sun sets early here like at home but it’s all about that lovely semi-desert temperate climate keeping things ‘ever so slightly’ warmer :) not too hot, not too cold, the Goldilocks zone☆
I had not seen how pomegranate grow, very enlightening Kelly. you are so lucky to have that many lime growing!! We have a few and it was the first time this year. We have an olive tree too but it’s different to the western olive tree, the leafs are much bigger. It has not produced fruits yet but the garden shop where we bought the olive tree has the same olive tree type and it was full of flowers and young olive fruits. Right now we have a custard apple kind of fruit growing which is known as bullesheart here. There are 2 fruits on it! =D I always get excited when trees get fruits. I suppose that’s because we take care of the trees and sometimes due to bad weather conditions they get hurt, which is very frustrating, so when we see fruits we are full of joy.
btw lovely baked ricotta dish, I like the combination of honey pomegranate and rosemary.
we are very blessed indeed Helene — I get excited about the new growth too! It’s just a miracle to witness and see the fruit evolve through the different stages. I can’t wait to try growing an olive tree… what a delight that would be if we could succeed. Thank you for your generous comment!
So jealous of that amazing backyard you have there! Getting to pick fresh lemons, has got to be so dreamy. As dreamy as this baked cheese dip.
I’m sure that self proclaimed black thumb will soon be replaced with a thriving green one. You won’t have a choice with all that produce in the backyard :)
right you are. I know exactly what you mean… the first guest we had at our home was an old friend of mine from Toronto who dropped in for tea while in town on biz (we were in the same mom/baby class some 17 years ago!) she took one look at my roses and said, ‘wow, you’ve got one beautiful garden here but you’ve got to look after it!” no truer words spoken… she gave me some great tips on deadheading/pruning (her mom was a gardener and she grew up around it…) as I always say to my boys, some things will come naturally in life and some things you just have to work a little harder at :).
Homegrown lemons!! wow…lucky you!
Your baked ricotta looks super duper delicious and beautiful, Kelly.
thanks Angie!
I don’t know how you have managed to make a dish which on one hand looks so comforting and warming, perfect for cold days… but so sunny and cheerful at the same time! I have no doubts it tastes fantastic and will certainly make it soon. (The last of your gorgeous photographs is extremely suggestive… I can almost feel the aroma….). I am also a big pomegranate fan and I think it’s thanks to you that I started buying it regularly. I kept on seeing this beautiful fruit on your blog so often, I thought I really had to include it into my meals. (I even had it yesterday with a green salad and finished the rest of the fruit as snacks). Ok, a pomegranate has just been added to my Friday shopping list! I’ll let you know if I bake your dish this weekend!
Thank you for sharing all the fruit photographs. How I wish we had such treasures around…
pomegranate love indeed ♡ ~ thanks for all your kind words and enthusiasm Sissi ~ I hope you enjoy this simple (and delicious) appetizer if you give it a try.
I cannot wait to try this beautiful dish! You’re right — lemons plucked from a backyard tree are a true gift! I would love to have a pomegranate tree back there, too! Here’s hoping you might discover one!
Everything seems possible here… even a springing pomegranate tree ♡
WOW – look at that lemon tree! It’s loaded!! Oh to live in California where one can grow so much produce year round! We’re trying to grow as much as we can, but it’s not easy with temperature already in the 20s at night. Fall ended quite abruptly here. Baked ricotta – I do love that idea and yours looks fabulous Kelly! I usually just eat it right out of the container, but I’m sure it’s so much better baked with herbs and fruit. :) I’m sitting here staring at that picture wishing it were sitting right in front of me. What a dip! I think I know what I’m taking as an appetizer to Thanksgiving dinner. This is going to be a huge hit! Thanks Kelly!!! I’m just hoping I can still find pomegranates in NM.
heeheeh, it is rather loaded isn’t it…i picked a giant sized bowl full yesterday and suggested to my husband that lemon squares might be inevitable :). Yes, warm, melty ricotta with sea salt and olive oil is a beautiful thing. So easy too. Hope you give a try sometime MJ!
You must please tell us how you brought your lemon tree back to life…I live in Florida and have a lemon tree that is truly struggling and I need tips in helping it survive!
well I never thought I’d be asked for gardening advice – the irony of the request is not lost on me :) however I’m happy to share our experience. The first thing we did was ensure proper water supply to the tree. The sprinkler system that was here when we bought the home had been in place for over 20 years and was no longer properly servicing the trees… my husband dug it all up and re-installed it such that it maximized water availability and minimized waste. We noticed a difference within days of the lemon tree getting properly hydrated. We let the tree grow freely without interference and are now at the stage of pruning. In California, the citrus leafminer pest is probably the most common issue – they leave a path of twisted/contorted leaves with a glossy eaten away look to it – these leaves do not recover and rob the tree of vital nutrients so pruning becomes important. I think FLA and Texas may have separate pest issues (citrus greening disease?). Beyond that, I am looking into spinosad which is purported to be a more natural means of pest control but we are very cautious about these things and so far have opted for the natural route exclusively with very positive results. I hope that gives you a start and thanks so much for stopping by.
I’m most certainly making this this year! Easy and gorgeous! Not to mention I love each and every ingredient. I just love your backyard! It seems meant to be doesn’t it. :) I would marvel picking my own lemons too. In fact I marvel at picking my own herbs because as you know, I share your black thumb. Have a wonderful evening dear friend! We should catch up again soon!
I think you’re right Kristy, some things are worth waiting for… this corner seemed to be reserved just for us… not sure I shared with you but there is a whole numerology to the home that coincides with birthdays and favorite numbers … just seemed to be our destined spot :), xx.
This is so beautiful!! My dream is to live among growing fruits and feasting in my own garden! Every photo is a work of art and this recipe is simple and perfect in every way!
living off the land is truly a dream; I’m with you Linda! thank you for your kind words.
Wow – What a beautiful looking dish Kelly! A festive appeal for the Holiday Season that is fast approaching. Love the pic of the pomegranate tree – have never seen one before. I will certainly try this recipe but don’t think it will look half as good as your splendid picture – truly fabulous :)
Keep up the great work!
Lynn
thanks! this is a great one for cold Canadian days… warm, melty cheese with a touch of salty sweet ~ everything we crave packaged in a protein concentrated healthy snack.
Just had to say that your photos of the recipe are gorgeous! I love how you styled this dish, really stunning. It also sounds completely delicious!
Welcome to Inspired Edibles Jordan! Thanks so much for taking the time to drop by ~ I appreciate your kind words… a brilliant ray of sunshine in my day :)
I can’t believe how lucky you are to have a lemon tree in your yard. You’ve got me so curious, I want to taste one, now! Also, your photography is exceptional as is your styling. I hope some day soon you will offer us a behind the scenes post on how you make it all come together so beautifully. And I didn’t even mention your writing. What were you, an english major??? bravo!
Suzanne… can i hire you as my personal self-esteem coach? ;-) thank you for all of your encouraging words, what a pleasure to read. food photography is tricky and a separate animal unto itself… I was reading a great post the other night that described it like this: “I studied photography in high school and college, but had never realized how much is involved in shooting food. It’s surprisingly complicated…” the post attracted great commentary, including established food bloggers sharing their own stories of continued challenges with food photography… it made me realize how many of us continue to struggle with the craft ~ it felt like a big love-in and therapy session :) loved it. All to say, I still feel very much like an apprentice of the art myself but would certainly consider cataloging the journey at some point if it were of help to others… xx
If you ever find me camped out in your backyard, you know, somewhere beneath the olive tree don’t say I didn’t warn you! I am in awe. I know I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again- you lucky girl!
Drawing inspiration from your own natural surrounding is a true gift. I love how you were able to incorporate your lemons into this dish. And it will taste that much better. Plus, lemon & ricotta are meant to be together, don’t you think?
haha, under the olive tree I will look then :)
Lemon, ricotta and pomegranate sounds like a pretty delicious combination. Loved reading your comments about the new discoveries gradually emerging in the garden. The photos are gorgeous and remind me of one of those still life paintings from the Renaissance…
smoooch! ♡