Sometimes I have very strange ideas. I bought pomegranate so I can add the arils to a tabbouleh with roasted cauliflower and because I had too many left, I thought they would be a great complement to lightly roasted slices of bread. These bruschettas  with pomegranate, cream cheese and fresh basil are the perfect appetiser or addition to a light dinner. They are also great bites if you expect guests and would like to offer them something more sophisticated. The preparation time is only about 10 minutes, and I have also added a recipe for balsamic reduction which you can add to salads or other dishes.

Pomegranate Bruschetta Ingredients:

• 1 baguette
• 150 g cream cheese
• 100 g pomegranate arils
• 25 g fresh basil, minced
• Zest from 1 orange
• Juice from ½ an orange

Balsamic reduction ingredients:

• 50 ml dark balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. agave nectar

Pomegranate Bruschetta Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the baguette into slices with a thickness of 2-3 cm and place on a lined with parchment baking tray. Bake for about 8-10 minutes.
2. To make the balsamic reduction, stir together the balsamic vinegar and the agave nectar in a little saucepan over a medium to high heat. Boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a thick sauce is obtained. Remove from the hob.
3. In a little bowl mix together the pomegranate arils, minced basil, orange zest and juice.
4. Spread a layer of cream cheese on the baguette slices, sprinkle with the balsamic reduction and top with the mixture of pomegranate and basil.

The recipe is inspired from My Darling Vegan.