Goat Cheese with Honey Roasted Grapes

This marinated cheese is a dinner party stunner or doubles as a light early fall dinner when served with an arugula salad and thick slices of bread.


Ingredients

4 oz fresh goat cheese
1/2 tsp aleppo pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp herbes de provence (optional)
1 lemon, zest peeled in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups high quality grapes, stems removed (feel free to substitute blackberries or peeled ground cherries as desired)
1/4 cup Granor honey
1/4 cup dry red or white wine

Method

  1. In a small, shallow bowl place the goat cheese in the center and sprinkle with the aleppo pepper and dried herbes if using
  2. Lay the lemon zest on top and heat the olive oil in a microwave for 15 seconds until just warm
  3. Pour the olive oil all over the top of the cheese and let rest 10 minutes
  4. Meanwhile, heat a large stainless steel frying pan over high heat until smoking
  5. Add a glug of neutral oil and swirl to evenly coat before adding the grapes
  6. Allow the grapes to roast undisturbed until they begin to blister and pop
  7. Swirl the pan to rotate the grapes, then reduce the heat to medium
  8. Add the honey and let it melt and thicken slightly, about 2 minutes
  9. Add the wine (be careful it will spit and sputter) and then return to the heat to reduce into a thick sauce
  10. Pour the grapes and the honey sauce over the cheese and serve