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Pickled Zante Grapes

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Submitted by muffin_gobbler

Pickled Zante grapes (Champagne grapes) in a sweet champagne vinegar brine with allspice. Cocktail garnish and cheese-board jewel that keeps for months.

YIELD

2 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

20 min

READY

40 min

Pickled Zante grapes are the kind of small luxury that turns an ordinary cheese board into something memorable. Tiny, sweet grapes, sometimes labeled Champagne grapes or Zante currants, soak in a champagne vinegar brine perfumed with whole allspice berries until each grape is plump, glossy, and packed with sweet-tart contrast.

These grapes are about the size of a peppercorn, so the brine penetrates quickly without breaking the skins. Pick through the bunch carefully and toss any that are split, soft, or blemished. A single mushy grape can cloud the brine and shorten the shelf life of the whole jar.

Letting the brine cool completely before pouring is the key step. Hot vinegar would soften the grape skins and turn them mushy. Cool brine keeps them taut and snappy, with that satisfying pop when you bite down.

The single week of waiting feels long, but it’s where the magic happens. Allspice slowly perfumes the brine, the sugar mellows the vinegar’s edge, and the grapes drink up the spiced syrup. The reward is a jar that lasts months and elevates everything from cocktails to roast pork.

Pro Tips

  • Use a clean, dry glass jar just barely large enough to hold the grapes. Less air space means longer shelf life.
  • Add a strip of lemon peel for a brighter citrus note in the brine.
  • Spear a few onto a toothpick as a martini garnish or float in a glass of bubbly.
  • Serve alongside soft, ripe cheeses, prosciutto, or roasted meats.

Variations

  • Substitute white wine vinegar if champagne vinegar isn’t on hand.
  • Add a small cinnamon stick and a few cloves for a holiday-spiced version.
  • Use seedless red or green grapes (cut larger ones in half) if Zante grapes aren’t available.

Ingredients

2 907.2
POUNDS G GRAPES, SEEDLESS
zante*
8 1.9
4 946
CUPS ML SUGAR
5-6
EACH ALLSPICE BERRY
whole *

Directions

  • (also called Zante currants and Champagne grapes)

Wash grapes. Remove any damaged or blemished ones.

Put in a jar just large en enough to hold them.

Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 2 or 3 minutes. Let cool completely.

Pour over the grapes, cover and refrigerate 1 week before using.

Will keep months in the refrigerator.

Makes about 2 quarts.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 854g (30.1 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 930 0% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 80g 80%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A 3% Vitamin C 41%
Calcium 2% Iron 5%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Fat, Fat-Free, Low in Saturated Fat, Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, Sodium-Free, Low Sodium
 

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