This one is a surefire crowd pleaser whether you’re camping or hosting a dinner party. The beauty of this recipe is that everyone will ooo and ahhh over your efforts, when in reality, it was a quick and easy prep.
- A bunch of grapes, halved
- A log of goat cheese
- Rosemary (I use dried and let it sit with the grapes for a while)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper
What I usually do is cut up the grapes ahead of time. Back when I had a desk job, that meant prepping them before work so it would be ready when I got home. These days I just prep everything an hour ahead of time. Add the olive oil and rosemary, a dash of salt and several shakes of pepper. Let it all soak.
So, if you’re at home, you can throw down some parchment paper on a pan with edges and roast these bad boys for 25-30 minutes. If you’re camping, just take out that trusty cast iron skillet and keep them moving. You might need to add a little more oil as you go. Once the grapes are juicing and searing a little, when the air smells super fragrant, it’s ready.
Plop that log o’ cheese on your serving plate and pour the grapes over top (or, hell, if you’re going to eat it quickly, toss it into the frying pan and save a dish from cleanup). Serve with an appropriate cracker.
Some tips: There are lots of varieties of goat cheeses. Use something with less going on. You don’t need your cranberry rinded cheese competing with your grapes.
Consider the grapes you’re using. I used some super sweet grapes from the farmers market not realizing how sweet they would be. What I would have never eaten raw turned out to be perfect for this dish.
Try other spices or garnishes. Add some nuts in the fall and a stick of cinnamon. Maybe your grapes are less sweet (so sad). Add some honey.
On the Road with Adie 