pickled grapes

Everytime I suggested pickled grapes to Jonas, he kept doubting that such a thing existed. He was sure I had just gone pickle-mad and was inventing pickles out of anything that would fit in a jar.

But I remembered reading about pickled grapes in Middle Eastern cookbooks, a classic example of the sweet-savoury balance the cuisine is so famous for.

Grapes seem like an odd thing to pickle, but they are are just wonderful. You can use them as:
* accompaniment to lamb, pork or rich game meats
* partner for good blue cheeses, like Stilton
* addition to savoury salads
* snack at a cocktail party

Jonas’ suggestion is to serve them as part of a Christmas buffet. The sweet-sour flavours, combined with the warmth of the cinnamon, would work perfectly on a traditional Swedish Julbord.

My own recipe was a combination of recipes from Maggie Beer’s TV show and Julie le Clerc’s book Taking Tea in the Medina.

Pickled Grapes
Anna’s adaptation of various recipes. Makes 1 jar.
Ingredients:
400 grams white seedless grapes, cut into small bunches
300ml white vinegar
100 ml water
200gm sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
12 black peppercorns
Method:
1. Cut grapes into small bunches, being careful not to break from stalk as this will allow pickling solution inside the grape.
2. Put vinegar, water and sugar and cinnamon sticks and peppercorns into small pot and bring to the boil.
3. Place cinnamon sticks in the jar first and then pack in grapes
4. Pour vinegar into jar over the grapes.
5. Seal immediately turning upside down to sterilise lid.

This recipe is going straight to Weekend Herb Blogging's host Cate from Sweetnicks.

It's my second grape recipe in recent times, so here's the link to my Grape & Spiced Nut Salad for those who might want to read up on grapes.

Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes appetizers snacks snack pickled grapes grapes pickles grape recipes pickle recipes snack recipes weekend herb blogging whb