Cranberry and Pomegranate Bruschetta

Chris, these bruschetta look too good to miss in life. Love the festive cranberry topping!

A simple yet quite tasty starter! And the festive colors are gorgeous, Chris…Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

This bruschetta is so festive looking that I’d almost hate to take a bite – although I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to resist. Beautiful recipe!

These cranberry pomegranate brushetta look luscious! Fresh, fruity, and light.My problem with bruschetta, is that I love it so much that I eat too much appetizer and don’t have room for whatever comes after! I am better off sticking with a tapas type menu (these are perfect for that) where I can nibble to my hearts content. Enjoy your holidays, Chris!

I love this! Not only is it festive, but it’s so fresh and bright. I agree with you too, I sometimes find myself getting caught up in the frenetic pace of the holiday and lose what Chrismas is really about.

Thank you for sharing the quote, it’s the perfect reminder of what this season is about. When you said you had us covered you were not kidding! This looks like edible jewelry.

Love the combination of Holiday winter ingredients here! This bruschetta will be so welcome in my house! Pinned!

Beautiful colors, flavours and pictures!

Oh how wonderful!

I caved in and bought that Pom deseerder contarption ..now I am mess free at last..

Love this!

So pretty, Chris! Love this festive appetizer idea!

With the colors these would be perfect for the holidays!

We’ve got folks coming round tomorrow and I was looking for one more idea and this is a beauty AND it’s in Christmas colors. Yay!

Very pretty Chris:@)

Yum and bookmarked. Need I say more?

This does sound fabulous, and looks so festive and pretty!

Ohhhh, this looks so good and I love how you snuck sriracha in it! Yum! These are just beautiful!!

love your bruschetta look beautiful and delicious Chris!!

What a gorgeous variation on bruschetta! It’s perfect for the season.

Looking forward to reading your quotes over the next two weeks.

They are so pretty and festive!A different and tasty bruscetta!

Blessings,dear!

Chris this is so festive! We have our first ever street Christmas party this weekend and have to bring something. I may have found my recipe!

Love this. It really kicks cranberries up a notch with a bit of heat. This would be perfect for an appetizer to a grand dinner party.

Sam

What a festive little appetizer…perfect for the holidays as it is so quick to put together.

These are like a party in the mouth – I can just imagine the spicy sweet flavors and pomegranate seeds popping all at once!

I still have arils in my freezer. This looks like a great use.

What a BEAUTIFUL idea for a holiday style brushetta! YUMMMMM!

Wow, Chris, your bruschetta is gorgeous…the red and green is so festive and perfect for the holidays! I bought two pomegranates and I may make a salad version of your wonderful appetizer

Love these easy, elegant winter bruschetta with a kick, Chris! Happy holidays!

Chris, very festive and elegant and fresh and wonderful – you just have the best ideas. And the photos really bring out the bright red of the pomegranate seeds! Wonderful, dear friend!

i love your salad idea with this relish, all your salad dressing and vinaigrette always sound wonderful! anyway, your bruschetta looks terrific!

Love this flavor combo!!

I like this idea and it’s so festive in colors too. Great appetizer that is simple but wonderful.

You know how I love a great appetizer and not too mention a great crostini – this one is perfect for the holidays! Hats off to you!!!

So lovely and delicious……..looked great on my table for a Ladies Christmas Brunch on Saturday! May your Christmas be blessed with the Joy of Jesus….. Thanks again!

Hi Chris,

Revisiting some of your beautiful and tasty recipes-this is gorgeous and perfect for the Holidays.

Pinning it to my Nibbles board too!

Jemma

hi! I cannot wait to try this- however, what is the white spread??

Can you tell me what the white cream is on top of the bread and underneath the topping… is it cream cheese?

Fabulous idea! Pining!

This is ridiculously delicious! I would never, ever have thought these ingredients went together, but the pictures were so beautiful that I decided to try it (and actually, everything I’ve made of yours has been wonderful). I only had 12oz of cranberries so I did 3/4 of everything except the arils. Will be serving with goat cheese and crackers for my dad’s birthday tonight. THANK YOU for another amazing and unusual recipe!

Hello Chris,

I want yo make this recipe but I am allergic to cilantro. Is there another herb I could use?

Alby- parsley would work great! Enjoy!

I made this to take for thanksgiving and it was a big hit. A wonderful combination of taste and texture. It’s also wonderful for pay thanksgiving gatherings with a slice of left over carved turkey added.

Great idea Melissa!

I heard a little birdie say you were looking for something exciting for your appetizer collection. If I was listening correctly, the fine-feathered friend said, you wanted something seasonal, festive, fabulously delicious and super easy to put together. You’re not asking for much, are you? Nope …. not at all. Actually, your wish is my command. I’ve gotcha covered!

This bright, fresh appetizer is all that – and more! Besides being gorgeous as a bruschetta topping it’s also fantastic spooned over a block of cream cheese or a log of goat cheese. Add a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and you’ve got an offering that’s pretty as a picture for all your holiday gatherings and get togethers. Serve this with crisp crackers or (if you want to keep it light and lean), thickly sliced English cucumber – an amazingly festive presentation!

Oh, and if you’re looking for a way to dress up every-day chicken this crimson relish will do the trick. Use it as a festive, healthy topping for grilled or pan-seared boneless chicken breasts or thighs. With fresh cranberries, pomegranate arils, honey, ginger, cilantro, orange zest and a splash of Sriracha, it’s sweet, spicy and bursting with vibrant flavor.

One last idea, take ¼ cup of the cranberry-pom relish, add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, a pinch of sea salt and a generous grind of fresh black pepper. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and now …………. you’ve got a super delicious salad dressing that just screams “holidays”! Toss arugula, field greens or fresh spinach with a splash of the pretty dressing. Add a few orange slices and maybe a handful of toasted walnuts ………….. Voilá! A super salad everyone will be raving about!

The relish recipe makes a generous portion but it keeps well (a week to 10 days) and having it stashed in the fridge means a beautiful, delicious holiday appetizer, a lovely garnish for a meal, a super sensational salad, ………… all of these are literally, just minutes away. And I have a feeling, that once you try this delicious relish, you’ll find a myriad of other fun things to do with it.

P.S. Intimidated by pomegranates? I used to be – but no more! I discovered this wonderful technique for deseeding poms in less than a minute, NO FUSS, NO MESS, NO WATER!!

This bright, fresh healthy appetizer makes a delightful bruschetta but there are tons of other delicious ways to use it. Check out the post above for ideas.

For the cranberry-pomegranate relish:

1 pound fresh (or frozen) cranberries, washed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger, don't worry about chopping it too fine at this point

2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce

¾-1 cup pomegranate arils or seeds*, reserve a few for garnish

finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

1 thin, good quality baguette, sliced about ¼ inch thick

freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I always use the lower fat, not no-fat)

Place the cranberries, ginger, sugar, honey and Sriracha in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off several times till cranberries are coarsely chopped. Don't process too much.

Add cilantro and pulse a few more times. Not too much, you want cilantro bits to be visible and mixture to be a bit chunky.

Transfer to a storage container and add pomegranate arils* and orange zest. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or till ready to use.

For the crostini, preheat oven to 350˚F. Line 2 sheet pans with foil or parchment paper, if desired for easy clean up.

Place baguette slices on prepared pans. Brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and a grind of pepper.

Bake for 14-18 minutes or until golden, rotating pans halfway through baking time.

To assemble bruschetta, whisk cream cheese until creamy. Spread about ½-1 tablespoon on each crostini. Top with a scoop of the relish. Garnish with a bit of orange zest, if desired.

Original article and pictures take http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2013/12/cranberry-pomegranate-bruschetta/ site