This baked Camembert with balsamic roasted grapes is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy
You can’t beat a gooey, savoury treat when it’s cold outside. This delicious dish can be used as a starter or as part of a decadent platter with drinks.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
200g seedless red grapes
¼ tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra to serve
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 French Camembert in wooden box
50g walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp raw Irish honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slices of toasted sourdough baguette, to serve
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F/Gas Mark 4). Put the grapes, thyme, balsamic vinegar and oil in a small foil-lined baking tin. Season generously and bake on the top shelf for 25 minutes until the grapes are still juicy but slightly wilted.
- Meanwhile, remove the sleeve and wrapper from the Camembert and put the cheese back in its wooden container. Using a small sharp knife, make a cross-hatch pattern in the rind, then sprinkle with the walnuts and honey. Bake on the middle shelf for 20 minutes until bubbling and lightly golden.
- To serve, set the Camembert on a plate and pile the grapes on top. Garnish with the thyme leaves and serve with plenty of sourdough baguette.
Chef’s tip: To make this into more of a meal, serve with a plate of Iberico or Parma ham and some nice breadsticks, perhaps with a salad to cut through the richness. Otherwise, this works for almost any occasion – either on its own or as part of a charcuterie board.
This recipe is from Neven Maguire’s cookbook Eat Out At Home and first appeared in the print version of Irish Country Magazine.
