Pomegranate Winter Punch

• 4 pomegranates
• Juice of 3 limes
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 7 ounces aged rum
• 10 pieces star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon mulling spices, or any combination of whole allspice, cloves, cardamom pods and dried or fresh orange peel
• 4 dried figs, sliced
• 1 bottle fruity red wine

1. Roll the pomegranates on a countertop to soften.
2. Halve them crosswise and hold them, cut side down, over a medium saucepan, hitting the backsides until all the seeds have been released.
3. Add the lime juice, brown sugar, rum, 10 pieces of star anise, cinnamon, mulling spices and 3 of the sliced figs.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer 7 minutes.
5. Add the wine and let it rest, covered, 10 minutes.
6. Serve warm, strained or not, in small mugs garnished with a fig slice and a piece of star anise.

pomegranates, brown sugar, aged, anise, cinnamon sticks, mulling spices, red wine

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013712 (may not work)