The first time I made this I ate almost the entire dip – it’s sensational. Salty, sweet, creamy and made in seconds. Sweet roasted sable grapes are ideal for a season of entertaining – they go perfectly with the dip and look stunning. If you have any over the grapes make a fantastic addition to a salad and go with any cheese. Crunchy bruschettine bring a whole new texture — either allow your guests to just dip in or assemble for them — a thick schmear of dip topped by a few grapes, some olives and a sprinkle of crispy onions will have everyone in raptures. Serve as part of a buffet or as a milky starter
Ingredients:
For the roasted balsamic grapes
450g M&S Collection seedless sable grapes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp M&S balsamic glaze
4-5 fresh thyme sprigs plus more to garnish
½ tsp sea salt
Ground black pepper
For the whipped honey goat’s cheese:
150g M&S French goat’s cheese, at room temperature
60g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tbsp M&S Mexican wildflower honey
Pinch of sea salt plus more to taste
To garnish
35g M&S Collection caramelised pecans
35g M&S mixed Greek olives in chilli marinade
1-2 tbsp M&S crispy onions
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a roasting tin with baking parchment.
- Rinse the grapes – leaving as many as possible on the stalks, and toss them with olive oil, balsamic glaze, ½ tsp of sea salt and pepper. Top with the thyme sprigs.
- Roast until the grapes soften but do not burst – 10 to 15 minutes. Leave to cool.
- For the whipped goat’s cheese: place the goat’s cheese, cream cheese, honey and salt in a food processor. Blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.
- Roughly chop the pecans and pick a couple of thyme sprigs into smaller stalks and leaves.
- Transfer the whipped goat’s cheese to a shallow dish, scatter over chopped pecans, a few chilli olives, sea salt flakes, picked thyme and crispy onions.
- Serve with the grapes plus bruschettine for scooping up the dip or arrange canapés, assembled as described in the recipe introduction above, on a platter.
