Each chef has a secret weapon—an ingredient she pulls out to make her food distinctly her own. And pomegranate molasses, or paste, is mine. It’s a thick, syrupy reduction of pomegranate juice and has a slightly sweet and sour taste and a gorgeous deep magenta color. There are many kosher brands on the market, which usually can be found in Middle Eastern markets and gourmet stores. Or you can make your own. I stock an arsenal of this bottled magic in my kitchen, at the restaurant, where I store it by the case, at the bar for tasty martinis, and even at friends’ houses, for those times they request my “secret.”

I discovered the power of pomegranate by accident a few years ago. I was making marinade and felt it lacked the smack I was looking for. I tried lemon juice, then I tried vinegar. I was about to give up when I spied an uninspiring-looking bottle lurking on my countertop that a supplier had dropped off. I pulled off the plastic sleeve and seal, dabbed my finger on the underside of the cap, and it was love at first taste. Now my paste and I are inseparable. I use this gem to add zip to my vinaigrettes, to sharpen a flat marinade, I even brush it on my meats when I’m too lazy to do anything else—yes, this even happens to chefs. So without further ado, here’s my secret recipe.

— by Laura Frankel

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups of pomegranate juice
¼ cup brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon-about ¼ cup

Directions:

Pour the ingredients into a saucepan, bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. As it bubbles along the side, gently whisk. Reduce the mixture until it is a thick syrup and coats the back of a spoon, roughly 30 minutes.

Preparation Time: 35 min.