Flavors of the Sun: Roasted Grapes with Rosemary and Garlic

Roasted Grapes with Rosemary and Garlic

Roasted Grapes with Rosemary and Garlic

by Victoria Challancin

Like thousands of others, I love the Leite's Culinaria blog. It's inventive, beautifully presented, useful, and wonderfully written. What's not to love? David Leite is a culinary genius. When a recipe for pork sausages with roasted grapes appeared in my Inbox one day last year, I was hooked...hooked on the idea of roasting grapes, that is. When I realized that I couldn't shake this obsession, I started poking around the web, searching for ways to honor this craving. While David Leite's recipe looked fabulous, I couldn't get away from the idea that if I spiced them a bit, they would be a perfect accompaniment for cheese. And anyone who follows this blog know I love roasted fruit with cheese. A little research led me to a recipe called L'uve Arrostite con Aglio e Rosmarino by Mary Beth Clark. And that was it. Her recipe didn't really give amounts, so I played around and came up with the following.

Roasted Grapes with Rosemary and Garlic

(Adapted from a recipe by Mary Beth Clark's Savoring Italy blog)

2 cups red grapes, left on stem
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons extra--virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450F. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl or in a plastic bag. Stir to coat well. Place the grapes on a cookie sheet, drizzling with any remaining oil left in the bowl. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until grapes are somewhat shriveled and begging to split open. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before serving.

You could roast the grapes even more, if you like. I wanted them to be firm enough to pick up with the fingers to accompany a strong cheese. These would be wonderful in a salad as well. Or on focaccia, the Italian way. For an easy dessert or even as a snack, this recipe is perfect. Interesting, easy, fast, and delicious!