By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Table Grape Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
I eat tons of fruit! I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one ;). Paired with a good source of protein such as cheese, yogurt, etc, and they make for a perfect snack any time of the day. It’s really really difficult for me to rank the fruits based on favorability, but I can assure you grapes are wayyy up there. An added bonus is that they can be enjoyed past the summer months through winter.
Grapes of all colors are a great source of beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols (e.g. resveratrol). One serving of grapes (3/4 cup) contains just 90 calories, no fat, no cholesterol and virtually no sodium. They provide potassium and are a good source of vitamin K. Also, they are considered a functional food because they provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients when an adequate amount is consumed as part of the diet on a daily basis.
My research paper for the Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals course that I took back in April was on grapes/wine and resveratrol (after this assignment, I have a whole new appreciation for grapes), and you would not believe the immensity of existing and ongoing research studies focusing on possible uses in the prevention and treatment of various chronic diseases and conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s).
While simply popping them in your mouth is perfectly delicious, taking it a step further and roasting them with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh rosemary will take you to a whole new place! The fragrant aroma tickling your nose and seeing the skins wrinkle up as they reach the verge of bursting make for a sensual experience. My husband who has yet to open up to rosemary was amazed at how wonderful it tastes paired with grapes. Perhaps I can sneak in the woody herb into other dishes as well ;).
Just as a friendly warning, it will be extremely difficult to stop your fingers from picking these grapes up as soon as they come out of the oven. And if you really feel helpless, then don’t fight the urge…use that extra energy instead to simply roast another batch. Nothing to it! 😉
As for these crostini, I like to prepare the bread and goat cheese first before roasting the grapes as they taste even more exceptional topped with the juicy orbs straight from the oven. Roast the hazelnuts in a pan over medium-high heat. No need to add oil as there’s plenty in the nuts. Once they turn golden-brown, remove from heat and place in a mini food processor to chop finely. Add honey and goat cheese and just like that, you have a wonderful spread!
Serve this at your next gathering and be prepared to be showered with oohs and ahhs. The stunning presentation and complexity of flavors are so contradictory to how simple they were to make. Don’t you just love that? Hope you give this recipe a try!
Question:
Besides enjoying them as they are, how do you incorporate grapes into various dishes?
Ingredients
- 1 Ib red seedless grapes
- 1 Tbs olive oil + more for baguette slices
- 1 Tbs roughly chopped fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper
- 1 baguette sliced 1/3 in. thick
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts toasted
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 1 Tbs honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Arrange bread slices on a large baking sheet and brush tops with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, about 15-20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.
- Meanwhile, roast hazelnuts in a pan until golden brown. Add to mini food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add goat cheese and honey and pulse until blended. It will be a bit thick so additional mixing with a spatula in a bowl will be necessary.
- Once the bread is done, increase the oven temp to 400 F. Combine grapes, rosemary, oil, pinch of salt and pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet and gently toss together. Roast approx 15-20 minutes or until they're slightly wilted and bursting.
- Spread a generous layer of hazelnut goat cheese on top of bread. Top with roasted grapes and serve immediately.
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Oh Min – this is my kind of eating!! I roasted grapes too for my ReDux recipe but I’m now itching to make them again with rosemary – genius! They are indeed addicting, right out of the oven. This is like the perfect fall appetizer – heck, I’d make this my dinner 🙂
I know! I just couldn’t stop eating them!! Good thing they are healthy ;). Haha. I was so full after snacking on them that it ended up being my dinner too ;). Nothing wrong with that!
Mmmmmm! Most anything with goat cheese makes me happy and I do love grapes!
I used to hate goat cheese (crazy, right?) but now it seems like I’m making up for lost times haha. If you love goat cheese and grapes, this one is def for you! 😉
I love trying different types of bruschetta and crostini. I can’t wait to try this version, especially since it includes goat cheese 🙂 I hope you have a great weekend Min!
Hehe I’m very aware of your obsession with anything on toasted bread ;). I think you’ll love this one, Ashely! Hope you had a great weekend as well!
Came across this from Show Stopper Saturday Link Party. This looks amazing Min. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for stopping by, Anne!
My husband jokes about how much fruit I can tuck away. It’s like my stomach doubles in size when fruit is around! I also love including it in savoury dishes so love this idea!
Oh I’m the same way! My husband tells me I look like I have E.T body by the time I’m done eating fruits. He sure knows how to flatter a woman.
I paired grapes w rosemary in my recipe too…divine is right! I’m totally going to try the spread too. It sounds like a killer combo w the hazelnuts…I should use them more! Love the extra info on resveritol too!
Ooh! I can’t wait to check out your recipe!! I have a whole new appreciation for rosemary after this.
First of all, I love your photo; it’s so inviting! Your combinations sound wonderful! I am a BIG fan of rosemary! Glad to know it pairs well with grapes!
Thank you so much, Diane! Yes! Rosemary was meant to pair with grapes. I can’t wait for you to try!!
Your photos are spectacular. Makes me want to eat your crostini right now. Love your addition of rosemary to this recipe. Can’t wait to make this for my next gathering of foodie friends.
I love grapes, and this looks amazing! I’m going to have to try roasting them.
Goat cheese + grapes + hazelnuts sounds such a wonderful combo! I’ve never tried to roast grapes but you made this look so good that I think I’ll be giving it a try soon! Love the pictures, by the way! ;D
Wow Min, this looks phenomenal! I have had grilled grapes before and love them, brings out the sweetness so I’m sure the roasted grapes are awesome! Plus I love goat cheese, so this is going on my list to try for sure! Thanks for sharing at Show Stopper Saturdays.
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats
Hi Min, this looks so delicious, healthy and amazing! I would love to try this some time. Thanks for sharing it on tasty tuesdays party,
Julie from julieslifestyle.blogspot.com
Although I have never had roasted grapes, I heard a lot about them. Roasted grapes and goat cheese combo sounds delicious!
Oh, my! What a scrumptious sounding combination! I will definitely be making this. And the pictures are amazing. Thanks for sharing. Now I’m really hungry.
Min, these crostini are gorgeous and look delish! Have not thought about roasting grapes, what a fun way to enjoy their concentrated flavors. And love the flavors you’ve chosen to pair them with esp the rosemary. Perfect for a fall cocktail party!
grapes are my absolute favorite but never had them roasted. This sounds so delicious esp with goat cheese.
This looks absolutely delicious!!! The roasted grapes with the goat cheese sound like an incredible flavor combination!!! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Just submitted my recipe and clicked through to your’s on the linkup! We definitely were following the same vibe! I love that you have hazelnuts with yours.
That hazelnut + goat cheese + honey combo is brilliant! I want to make a pizza with it! Looks so perfect!
what a great flavor combo! They look beautiful Min 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up at Share Your Stuff Tuesdays..have a good weekend!
This is really making my mouth water and I can totally taste (in my mind) and see how the flavors pair up perfectly! I love all those ingredients on their own AND together. Great job with the presentation as well!
This recipe sounds fantastic! I love goat cheese and am always on the lookout for new and creative ways to use it. Thank you for sharing!
I just stopped by from The Turquoise Home WIW. This is a great app, well I think I could make it lunch.
Yum! Just made these with local seedless concords and rosemary from my front porch. Divine!
Hi Tarrah 😉 Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know.
Min, How have I never seen these until today, and I swear I did a bizarrely similar recipe 1 year later. I saw this on the recipe Redux homepage, and I was like, I don’t remember putting rosemary in that, then I was like, wait!! That’s not my recipe. Lol! I guess great minds think alike. 🙂