Pomegranate Salsa

Name: Pomegranate Salsa
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups pomegranate arils (about 2 pomegranate’s worth); ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion; ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro; 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (use a smaller jalapeño for less heat, or leave in some seeds for more heat); ½ teaspoon lime zest; 2 tablespoons lime juice; ⅛ teaspoon fine salt; 4 to 5 ounces goat cheese; 8 ounces cream cheese; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 small-to-medium garlic clove; ⅛ teaspoon fine salt

Description: This pomegranate salsa recipe is bursting with sweet-and-spicy flavor. It's a fun holiday appetizer or special wintertime snack. Serve it on its own with tortilla chips, or with whipped goat cheese for a creamy base that goes well with crostini or toasted pita. Recipe yields 8 appetizer servings.

Prep Time: 20

Ingredients

2 cups pomegranate arils (about 2 pomegranate’s worth)
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (use a smaller jalapeño for less heat, or leave in some seeds for more heat)
½ teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
4 to 5 ounces goat cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon honey
1 small-to-medium garlic clove
⅛ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

To prepare the salsa, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and gently stir until combined. Taste, and add a little more salt if desired.
To prepare the optional whipped goat cheese, combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is absolutely smooth and creamy, which could take a couple of minutes, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
To serve, use the salsa as-is, or spread the whipped goat cheese into the base of a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon all of the salsa around the perimeter of the bowl. Serve promptly. Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days (the whipped goat cheese will need to warm back to room temperature to spread easily).