How to use cut grapes?

May 26, 2024 3:21 PM

I have a pound of red grapes that are cut into slivers. What can I do with them?

Any recipes are fair game, even including cocktails / homemade hooch.
Thanks!

posted by nouvelle-personne to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

I have seen this difference of opinion almost come to blows at potlucks, but I personally think sliced red grapes are nice in chicken salad.
posted by phunniemee at 3:27 PM on May 26 [13 favorites]

Excellent in chicken salad
..Great in jello mold...put in your Christmas fruit cake that you will make this summer...put on toothpicks and garnish cocktails...dehydrate them...put on morning cereal.
posted by Czjewel at 3:44 PM on May 26

I fucking love sliced grapes in all kinds of salads e.g. green leafy salads like kale gorgonzola with grated cabbage and carrots, or chopped-veg salads like cucumber-melon salad, or salads with grains in them like tabbouleh.

But here's a suggestion that's gonna sound very much out of left field for you but I give you my word as a born and bred south Indian person that *this works*.

This will work easiest if you have access to a desi cook and their stash of standard spices - ask your friends (or me! I'll mail a little baggie of mix to you!).

- 1 cup cooked rice
- 2/3 cup plain yogurt, whole is better than skim
- about an 1/8th tsp of salt (or to taste)
Mix these and keep in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

In a small pan, put the following ingredients in the following order:
- vegetable oil (allow it to heat up and then)
- 1/4 tsp asafetida
- 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp mung dal (skinless halved mung beans) and/or 1/2 tsp urad dal (skinless halved black lentils) or any other small lentil, deskinned
- 4 curry leaves (dried is just as good as fresh)

Let the mustard sputter and lentils brown very lightly, turn off heat, and add

- a pinch of crushed red peppers (spicy) to the mixture.

Into the yogurt and rice mixture in your fridge, mix in:

- the "tempering" mixture you just made
- 1/2 cup of slivered grapes

... And enjoy!

(You could also omit the rice altogether from this recipe and enjoy ~interesting~ yogurt by itself.
posted by MiraK at 3:53 PM on May 26 [7 favorites]

Sangria! Sliced grapes and other sliced fruit (oranges, etc.). Especially lovely in warm weather.
posted by mochapickle at 3:57 PM on May 26

Also tuna salad, e.g., Mediterranean Tuna Salad.
posted by kingless at 4:34 PM on May 26 [1 favorite]

You can quick pickle grapes in the same way you can veggies! As to what to do with them after -- snack on them, add them to salads, whatever.

(I do second they're great on salads on their own, especially with a strong cheese in the mix.)

I'd probably try infusing some in vodka just to see what happens (I've never tried grapes but I have done some good alcohol infusions.)
posted by edencosmic at 5:13 PM on May 26

Make a focaccia w them as the topping.
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:12 PM on May 26 [2 favorites]

Use as a pizza topping, with fontina cheese.
posted by aws17576 at 11:06 PM on May 26 [2 favorites]

Spread out flat on a sheet and freeze. Once frozen, place in freezer bag for long term freezer storage. Eat by hand full as refreshing ice drops or add to beverages.
posted by koahiatamadl at 6:36 AM on May 27

Pickled grapes are quick to make and will prolong your grapely enjoyment. Good in salads and fun in cocktails.
posted by BrashTech at 10:19 AM on May 27

Make shrub! Add some sugar to the grapes, put them in the fridge for a couple of weeks, and then add vinegar to taste.
posted by chaiminda at 10:25 AM on May 27

A few years back, the NY Times had a roundup of Thanksgiving recipes from all 50 US states in which they included a grape salad that, as far as anyone can tell, only the supposed "Minnesota-born heiress" source had ever heard of. I had to try it, for the fun-- it is kind of fun and tasty, if a bit odd.

So, if you want an adventure, you could make the Controversial Grape Salad (choose MN from the dropdown to see the recipe).
posted by past unusual at 11:04 AM on May 27

Sliced grapes in a dressing made of yogurt sweetened lightly with your favorite sweetener, chilled, consumed on a hot day, is divine.
posted by Liesl at 7:56 AM on May 28