Turkey Day: Not-So-Traditional Grape Salad #GrapeGate
Obviously I had to include SOMETHING referencing the NY Times' great grape salad snafu of 2014! Minnesota got not-so-nice when it was pronounced that its classic Thanksgiving dish was grape salad; unheard of to most and a fruit that is not the slightest bit local to Minnesota, to boot. Many people have weighed in at this point regarding the many fitting dishes that would better encapsulate "classic" Minnesota fair, but I thought I'd run with it.
This recipe isn't actually new to me, but it is in no way close to the sour cream-laden recipe presented in the NY Times. The foundation of this dish comes from a recipe I had pinned on Pinterest quite some time ago. After this whole grapegate situation went down, I figured it was the perfect time to unearth it from the archives. It made for an easy appetizer at Friendsgiving this year and will also don the appetizer table at my own Thanksgiving. It would be perfect atop a baguette, with some of that Sage Pesto I posted yesterday, along with fresh ricotta, chevre, or brie. Yep, grape salad just got fancy.
Roasted Grapes with Shallots & Thyme
Makes: ~2 cups
Preparation Time: 10 minutes prep, 30 minutes roasting
Ingredients:
~2 c. purple seedless grapes, rinsed and removed from stems
1 shallot, minced
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
maple syrup
dash of salt
5-6 sprigs of thyme
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place rinsed grapes and minced shallot on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil until well coated, but not too greasy. Drizzle with a little bit of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. You don't want to douse the grapes, but add a little bit of sweetness to help caramelize the grapes, and a little bit of acid for balance. Add a dash of salt and then stir everything around on the pan to ensure even exposure to all ingredients. Top with sprigs of thyme.
2. Roast the grapes for about 20-30 minutes, or until they're slightly shriveled and the skin has broken, but not exploded. Let cool briefly and then pour into a serving dish, including all the juices on the pan. Top with crispy roasted thyme, or fresh thyme. Serve warm with bread or crostini and cheese.
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