fennel & pomegranate salad

my first encounters with pomegranates, outside of queen of the underworld myths, were at the thanksgiving table of my father's extended family. (yes, most years i get not one but two thanksgiving dinners. sometimes on the same day. my life is hard.) every year they pack 20ish people into their small cozy manhattan apartment. they squeeze extra tables into their thoroughly book-lined dining room, conjure up a medley of mismatched chairs, and it gets so crowded that getting out of your seat becomes a very physically intimate affair.
they are theater people, and once the wine starts flowing they become even more wonderfully animated and clever. i will always remember overhearing my 92 year old great aunt midge not-so-quietly asking my dad if "that person in the white sweater at the end of the table" (whilst pointing to my sister's boyfriend) "is a man or a woman." you can't make this kind of thing up.

we stuff ourselves silly, and then multiple pies apparate of nowhere, disappearing just as quickly. coffee, tea, and after dinner liqueurs make an appearance, and then, just when we all start loosening our belts and considering curling up under the table for food coma naps, the Bowl Of Fruit comes out.
i'm still not sure if they consciously plan it every year or if they're just the type of family that always has an insane assortment of fruit lying around, but what a fruit bowl it is. giant seeded black grapes, figs, nuts, dates, quince (if i remember correctly), and pomegranates. usually i sweet talk my second cousin into cutting one up for me, which he mysteriously does in the kitchen, where i can't see. that, compounded with the greek myth connotation, probably contributes to my very mystical associations with the fruit--perhaps the fact that max usually emerged from the kitchen looking more than a little bit blood-spattered also has something to do with it.
since then, i've learned a slightly less messy way of cutting them, as well as a particularly delicious salad application. i was crushed to learn that i was not the first person to pair fennel and pomegranate together in a salad--google tells me that other versions include things like prosciutto, blood orange, arugula and shaved parmesan--but what i think makes this one special is a tiny bit of whole grain mustard in the dressing. pomegranate arils are perfect jolts of tang amongst crispy slivers of fennel, but it's the faint warmth from the smattering of mustard seeds that adds a little extra interest.

how to cut up a pomegranate (and not look as if you murdered somebody):
run a thin, sharp knife in a circle around the top (stem) end of the pomegranate, cutting about 1/2" deep into the skin rather than cutting all the way through. the circle should be about 3" in circumference and should pop off fairly easily, like the lid of a jack-o-lantern.
you should now see 5 sections of pomegranate. run your knife along the membrane of each of these sections, again cutting only about 1/2" deep rather than all the way through. now grasp two sections and gently but firmly try pulling them apart--if they don't give fairly easily, try cutting a little more. once your segments have come apart, you should have clean clusters of arils which will come away pretty easily when pried with your fingertips. some people do this in a bowl of water to avoid splattering, but i don't bother. once they're all out, i like to put the arils in a bowl of water, which will help any bits of white pith float to the surface. drain and eat.fennel & pomegranate salad
serves 4, as a side

• 1 large fennel bulb, stems and core removed, chopped into slivers*
• 3/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1 tbsp golden balsamic vinegar**
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard (or use a good, spicy dijon)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

*if there's a good way to chop up a fennel bulb, i haven't found it yet. do the best you can; it doesn't need to be perfect. reserve the feathery fronds, if you like, for garnishing at the end.
**i used golden over brown so as to not stain the salad, but if this doesn't bother you feel free to use a regular balsamic. you could also use a white wine vinegar or possibly even lemon juice?

in a small tea cup, combine vinegar, mustard and some salt and pepper. whisking all the while, slowly drizzle in olive oil to emulsify. taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. set aside.

in a large bowl, combine chopped fennel and pomegranate. toss gently with your hands, so as to avoid crushing pomegranate. drizzle with dressing and toss again, gently. taste and add salt and pepper as needed. garnish with reserved fennel fronds or additional pomegranate, if you like. i like to serve it with an additional sprinkle of coarse, flaky salt on top.

note: i haven't tested this, but i suspect leftovers would keep well, lightly dressed, in the refrigerator for a day or two (though the fennel might brown a little). revive with a splash of dressing and a quick toss before serving.