Oven-Roasted Grapes with Thyme and Olive Oil

We don’t often think of grapes as a savory food, and in fact, even in the treatment they get here, with olive oil, salt, and thyme, they still retain their sweetness. Their texture is transformed by roasting at high heat, and their sweetness is both magnified and mellowed in the oven. The juice that they leak in the roasting is like nectar. The thyme crisps and toasts. Olive oil makes everything succulent.  

You might use these roasted beauties on a cheese plate, or in a salad with spicy or bitter greens, where their sweetness will shine. You might also consider a few of them scattered atop a custard, or a bowl of ice cream, for an elegant, inventive finishing touch to dessert.

As we were harvesting the grapes to roast, a glance to the left brought the Sungold tomato into view. Like little golden grapes, themselves, on a spray held by green stems. So, although we meant this recipe to be about grapes, we roasted the cherry tomatoes, too. Why not? They were also lovely, roasted. While we wouldn’t put them on ice cream, they really make a pasta dish. Both the grapes and the tomatoes make a nice topping for crostini, too.

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400° F.
Wash the grapes and allow them to dry. Spread them on a baking sheet, and drizzle liberally with olive oil.
Roll the whole cluster around, so that it is coated with oil, which makes the salt and herbs stick.

Sprinkle the grapes with salt, about half a teaspoon for a large cluster. Grind fresh pepper over to taste.

If using fresh thyme, strip some of the leaves from the stems and scatter them over the grapes, leaving the rest on the branch. If using dried thyme, about 2 teaspoons of dried thyme will do.

Gently roll the grape cluster around so that all sides are coated in salt, pepper, thyme, and oil. Slide the baking sheet into the oven or broiler, and roast for 20 minutes.

Check on the grapes after 20 minutes, and rotate the pan if your oven has a hot spot. Ours does! Bake for another 10 minutes, until the grapes are blistered and caramelized on the outside.

Serve warm or cool, with salads, pasta, bruschetta, or other delightful arrangements.

Over to You

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