Martha’s Grapes With Cheese Glaze Are Unusual, Delicious and Perfect for New Year’s Eve
Whether you’re throwing a Gatsby-themed party or breaking out your pajamas, New Year’s Eve calls for a slightly elevated appetizer. Something that doesn’t require cooking is ideal, but it can be difficult to find oven-free recipes that won’t be lackluster (sorry, soggy dish). Luckily, there’s one party host who’s been churning out foolproof party recipes for decades. This is Martha, and I can confidently tell you that her grapes with Roquefort cheese are the unique and delicious appetizer you need for your New Year’s Eve party.
Even I was a little skeptical at first—green grapes covered in blue cheese, wrapped in ground nuts is atypical at best (for me, anyway)—but I have a hard time resisting the five-ingredient recipe. Plus, it’s appropriate for New Year’s Eve. For many cultures around the world, eating grapes at midnight is a tradition that brings good luck to the year. So why not offer delicious grapes?
This 1982 vintage recipe is adapted from Stewart’s Entertaining Cookbook. The idea is pretty simple and I’ve made a few changes to make it even easier to implement. She combines some Roquefort cheese (a soft, salty, unusual blue cheese that can be purchased at most large grocery stores) with cream cheese and a little heavy cream. The ratio of these three ingredients essentially creates a cream cheese sauce with a hint of blue cheese. Wash and dry green grapes are coated with a light layer of cheese spread and then rolled in ground toasted nuts.
This combination of fruit, cheese and nuts results in an absolutely delicious snack. In terms of texture, you get the satisfaction of biting into juicy grapes combined with cool cream cheese and a smattering of finely chopped nuts. As for the taste, the mixture is captivating: the grapes are sweet-sweet, the nuts add a pleasant bitterness, and the cheese is buttery and salty with a playful hint of Roquefort.
Starting with the cheeses at room temperature will make blending easier, but you can always microwave the bowl for 10 to 20 seconds to warm up any ingredients that have been chilled in the refrigerator. If you really hate blue cheese or forgot to buy it, you don’t have to add it. This is a relatively small amount, so you can simply replace this amount with cream cheese and it will work just as well. Don’t throw away leftover Roquefort cheese spread – it makes bad crackers.
Roquefort grapes recipe
(adapted from Entertaining by Martha Stewart)
Ingredients:
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½ pound seedless green grapes
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4 ounces cream cheese
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1 ounce Roquefort cheese
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1 tablespoon heavy cream
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¾ cup (about 6 ounces) toasted almonds (or toasted walnuts)
1. Wash and dry the grapes. (If they are wet, the cheese will not stick.) Set them aside in a bowl.
2. Grind the nuts into semi-fine nut meal. It’s okay if it’s uneven or there are lentil-sized pieces. Place the ground nuts in a small bowl.
3. In another small bowl, mix cream cheese and Roquefort cheese until smooth. If necessary, place it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Add heavy cream. The mixture should be thick but spreadable, like soft butter.
4. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet or plate. Roll grapes in cheese. You’ll probably end up with a thin and uneven finish, and that’s okay. I put a vinyl glove on my left hand and simply rubbed my hand over the grapes on the cheese. Place the grapes in the bowl with the nuts and roll them out until well coated. Carefully place the wrapped grapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat the same with all the grapes.
5. Chill the grapes in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden the cheese and nut shell. Serve in a wide bowl or on a platter with candied nuts and say Happy New Year.