Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

Compliment your holiday table with a salad dressed up in the colors of Christmas. The pomegranate seeds add a crisp, tart taste while the oranges add the sweetness. Follow the directions below to seed the pomegranate. Once you have collected the seeds, they will keep in the refrigerator for over a week.

Ingredients:

Arugula greens

1 sweet or red onion, sliced thinly

1 orange, peeled, segmented and cut into pieces

1 pomegranate, seeded

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons raspberry, white wine, or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon agave nectar

½ teaspoon salt

Pepper

To prepare the pomegranate:

Cut off the stem end of the fruit. Score the skin from end to end with a sharp knife. (Do not cut all the way through the fruit.) Fill a large bowl with water and immerse the pomegranate in it, covering it completely. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. While it is still in the water, use your hands to break the fruit apart, separating the seeds from the pulp. Let the seeds drop to the bottom of the bowl. The pulp will rise to the top of the water. You can then skim it off with a strainer before straining the seeds from the water. Place the seeds in a clean, dry bowl.

To prepare the dressing:

Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, agave nectar, salt and pepper. Set aside.

To prepare the salad:

Place some arugula greens on a plate, along with some of the onion slices and orange pieces. Sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over the top and finish with a few spoonfuls of the dressing.