Grapes, Reinvented: 6 Chefs Share Their Creations

For thousands of years, our ancestors have known, cultivated, eaten and processed grapes.

Of course, they cooked with them, too.

And not only in desserts.

Before the world discovered sugar, must—the freshly pressed juice of grapes—and petimezi, a thick grape syrup, were among the most important natural sweeteners available. Along with wheat and olive oil, grapes were a constant presence in the cuisine of ancient Greece, allowing cooks to create complex flavor combinations and, in particular, the contrasts between salty, sweet and sour that they loved.

The ancient Greeks cooked game and seafood with wine, grape must and honey. Instead of lemons, they used agourides, unripe, intensely sour grapes—a practice that still survives in many villages and towns across rural Greece during the summer months.

The Greek countryside, after all, is dotted with vineyards. Like the olive, the grape is a symbol of the country’s agricultural heritage.

And because Greek cooking has always been about making use of everything available, grapes are exploited to the fullest: from their juice and flesh to their skins, which can be turned into exceptional distilled spirits.

Take that tradition to chefs and pastry chefs who truly understand flavor—people who love Greek culinary heritage but also have the knowledge and technique to push it a step further—and the results can be surprising.

That is exactly what we did.

We turned to Fania Andreadi and Katerina Thomaidi, Afroditi Georgiadou, Stefania Koufopoulou, Stefanos Papanikolaou and Eleni Todoulou-Fevga, asking them to create a dish in which grapes would take center stage.

Their creations are, every one of them, worth discovering.

Sea Bass with Grapes, Fennel and Citrus

By Stefanos Papanikolaou

“I like using fruit in savory dishes because it adds depth and freshness without overpowering the main ingredient. Here, I wanted to pair a distinctly seafood ingredient, sea bass, with the subtle sweetness of grapes and fennel.”

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

For the sea bass

• 4 sea bass fillets (5½-6¼ oz each)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 oz butter
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and pepper
• A few drops of lemon juice

For the fennel cream

• 2 large fennel bulbs
• 1 small white onion
• 1 small potato
• 1½ oz butter
• 2 fl oz white wine
• 8½ fl oz vegetable stock
• 2¾ fl oz heavy cream
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt
• White pepper
• A few drops of extra-virgin olive oil

For the grapes

• 7 oz seedless green grapes
• 3½ oz seedless red grapes
• ¾ oz butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 shot ouzo
• A few fennel fronds

For the citrus vinaigrette

• 2 fl oz orange juice
• 1 fl oz grapefruit juice
• ⅔ fl oz lemon juice
• 2 tsp floral honey
• 1 tsp mustard
• 3½ fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
• Orange zest
• Lime zest
• Salt
• White pepper

Method

1. First, clean the fish fillets thoroughly and remove any remaining bones. Pat the skin very dry with paper towels and score it lightly with a knife so it does not curl during cooking. Just before placing the fillets in the pan, season them with salt only on the flesh side.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet until very hot. Drizzle in a little olive oil and carefully place the fish fillets skin-side down. Gently press them for the first few seconds so the entire surface makes even contact with the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
3. Turn the fillets onto the flesh side and cook for only 20-30 seconds. Add the butter, thyme and garlic, then finish with a few drops of lemon juice and some pepper.
4. For the fennel cream, thinly slice the fennel, onion and potato. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the vegetables over low heat, taking care not to let them brown. Deglaze with the wine.
5. Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the stock and cook until the vegetables are completely tender. Add the heavy cream and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth and velvety. Pass it through a fine sieve for an especially silky texture, then finish with lemon zest, a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
7. Cut the grapes in half and melt the butter in a skillet. Add the honey and grapes and sauté for 1-2 minutes, just until they become glossy while retaining their crisp texture. Deglaze with the ouzo and finish with fresh fennel.
8. For the vinaigrette, combine the citrus juices with the mustard and honey. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies. Finish with the citrus zest, salt and white pepper.
9. To plate, spread the fennel cream over the base of the plate and place the sea bass fillet in the center, crispy skin facing upward. Arrange the glazed grapes around the fish and finish with the citrus vinaigrette.

Veal Sweetbreads with Grapes, Tarragon and Lefkada Salami

By Eleni Todoulou-Fevga

“In Epirus, we have always used fruit in our cooking. Meat, cheese and fruit were abundant in our region and have been cooked together since long ago. Here, I wanted to pair the buttery flavor of sweetbreads with the acidity and sweetness of grapes.”

Prep time: 25 minutes (+ 2½ hours soaking time)
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

• 21 oz veal sweetbreads
• 4½ oz halved grapes
• 1½ tbsp butter
• 1¾ fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 2¼ oz Lefkada salami, diced
• 2¾ fl oz dry white wine
• Salt and pepper
• A little flour for dredging

Method

1. Soak the sweetbreads in cold water for approximately 2½ hours, changing the water regularly.
2. Then blanch them in boiling water for 10-12 minutes and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Remove the outer membranes and excess fat, then pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
3. Season with salt and pepper, lightly dredge in flour and shake off any excess.
4. Heat the butter and olive oil with the garlic in a nonstick skillet. Sauté the sweetbreads until deeply browned and crisp, about 4-5 minutes on each side.
5. Add the Lefkada salami and grapes and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes, until the grapes have softened slightly.
6. Deglaze with the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Remove from the heat, add the thyme and tarragon, and gently toss so that all the herbs’ aromas are incorporated into the dish.

Roasted Grape Salad with Zucchini Blossoms and Cheese Kataifi

By Afroditi Georgiadou

“Grapes have always had a special place in Pontic cuisine. Their stems and branches were used to make stypa—pickles made without vinegar, using grapevine twigs for acidity and chickpeas for fermentation. I remember my grandmother pruning the grapevines and us running off to secretly eat the grapes!”

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients (for 3 servings)

• 1 bunch of grapes
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 3 mint leaves
• 3 basil leaves
• 3 zucchini blossoms
• 2 baby zucchini
• 7 oz kataifi pastry
• 2¾ oz anthotyro cheese
• 1 oz feta cheese
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 7 fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice and zest of 3 lemons
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Combine the anthotyro, feta, scallions, salt and pepper in a bowl. Shape the mixture into small sausage-shaped pieces and wrap each one in kataifi pastry—the fine, shredded pastry traditionally used in Greek and Middle Eastern desserts.
2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and place them in a baking pan. Add the grapes, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 375°F until golden and tender.
3. Blend the lemon juice and zest with the mustard and honey until combined. Gradually add the olive oil while continuing to blend until you have a creamy dressing.
4. Once the zucchini and grapes are roasted, transfer them to a plate and drizzle with the lemon dressing.
5. Lightly pan-fry the kataifi-wrapped cheese pieces until golden and add them to the plate. Garnish the salad with the raw zucchini blossoms, lightly torn by hand, and the fresh herbs.

Cheese Tart with Grapes

By Stefania Koufopoulou

“This tart goes on the menu at Apomero every year in late August, when the grape harvest begins. In the courtyards of Karditsa, there are Muscat grapes planted by our grandparents, who used them to make wine and tsipouro. They have an incredible aroma and pair perfectly with strongly flavored cheeses.”

Prep time: 20 minutes (+ 20 minutes resting time)
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients (for 8-10 servings)

For the crust

• 5¾ oz all-purpose flour
• 3¼ oz butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
• ½ fl oz cold water
• 1½ g salt
• 1½ g sugar
• ½ egg

For the filling

• Seedless grapes
• 7 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 7 oz crumbled feta
• 7 oz grated smoked cheese
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp honey
• 6¾ fl oz heavy cream

Method

1. Place the flour, butter, water, salt, sugar and egg in a bowl. Work the mixture with your hands until you have a smooth, uniform dough.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to rest.
3. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and place it in a large buttered tart pan, making sure it covers the sides as well as the base.
4. Sprinkle the feta and smoked cheese over the bottom.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream cheese, heavy cream, honey and nutmeg. Pour the mixture over the tart and scatter the grapes over the top.
6. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the surface of the tart is golden brown.

Tonka Bean Panna Cotta with Grapes

By Katerina Thomaidi and Fania Andreadi

“The inspiration for this dessert came from the grape itself and from our desire to showcase it beyond its familiar form. We pair it with a tonka-infused panna cotta, preserving the fruit’s seasonality while giving it a more contemporary interpretation.”

Prep time: 30 minutes (+ 4 hours chilling time)
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: **

Ingredients for 8 servings

For the panna cotta

• 25½ oz heavy cream
• 3½ oz sugar
• ¼ oz powdered gelatin
• Zest of ½ tonka bean
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

For the grape coulis

• 24 oz red grapes
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• 2½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ tsp agave syrup

For the roasted grapes

• 8 oz red grapes

Method

1. Begin with the panna cotta.
2. Pour the lemon juice into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the surface and leave it for approximately 15 minutes to soften.
3. Heat the heavy cream, sugar and tonka bean zest in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
4. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, add the lemon juice and softened gelatin. Stir thoroughly until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
5. Strain the mixture into a pitcher or bowl and divide it evenly among eight small glasses, ramekins or silicone molds.
6. Leave the panna cotta uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, until set. Once completely chilled, cover the containers with plastic wrap.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the grape coulis.
8. Place the grapes, lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grapes have softened completely and broken down.
9. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard the grape skins and pulp and keep only the juice. Return the juice to the saucepan and boil for another 5 minutes.
10. Add the agave syrup and continue cooking for approximately 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Allow it to cool, then refrigerate.
11. Place the 8 oz of red grapes in a baking pan and roast in a preheated 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes.
12. When ready to serve, unmold the panna cotta and drizzle each portion with 2 teaspoons of grape coulis.
13. Garnish with the roasted grapes and serve chilled.