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Flight of the Concords

Delicious whirred into sweet sorbets or simmered into savory sauces, grapes are all-American stars of the autumn kitchen

There's nothing quite like a Concord grape. Pop one in your mouth. The experience is intense, a burst of mouthwatering tartness followed immediately by a fragrant sweetness that embodies the essence of "grape"—like a perfect jelly sandwich or a glass of juice in a single bite. The crunch of Concords' small, bitter seeds is but a small sacrifice for that voluptuous flavor. In comparison, common table grapes seem watery and wan.

Native to America, the Concord and its peers like Niagara (the love child of the Concord and Cassady grape; first fruited in 1872), Jupiter (a seedless variety released by the University of Arkansas in 1998) and Delaware (discovered circa 1850 in Ohio), make only a brief cameo at markets during late summer and early fall.

The northeastern states are best known for these American hybrids, but the Midwest—notably Missouri, where the Norton holds court—and southern states like Arkansas and Florida, where the Blanc du Bois grape is king, also have a bustling, if brief season.

When shopping for bunches, look for tight clusters with minimal bruising and buzzing yellow jackets, who may be the best judges of ripeness and can lead you directly to the juiciest fruit.

I buy grapes by the basketful and eat the first pint before I get home, but Concords and their kin are workhorses in the kitchen, too. Simmer them down into a sauce for duck breasts, slip them into salads with a sprinkling of nuts—or try one of these easy ideas for the rest of your haul

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Concord Sorbet

Purée 2 pounds Concord grapes in a blender. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, using your fingers to work the juice from the pulp. Stir ¾ cup super-fine sugar into the juice until dissolved. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions, then transfer to a container and freeze until completely firm. Serve a scoop sandwiched between peanut butter cookies. Makes approximately 1 quart.

Rigatoni With Roasted Grapes, Spinach and Halloumi

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss ½ pound Concord grapes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme and salt and pepper. Spread grapes on baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes or until skins have crisped and insides softened. Cover and set aside. Bring large pot of salted water to boil, then stir in 1 pound dried rigatoni. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in wide skillet over high flame. Stir in 5 ounces cubed halloumi cheese and sauté until crispy and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer cubes to a paper towel. Add 10 ounces torn spinach leaves to skillet, reduce heat to medium and sauté 2 minutes or until leaves are soft yet bright. Check rigatoni for doneness, drain and stir into skillet with spinach. Add halloumi cubes and grapes and toss well. Season to taste with salt, pepper and pinch of thyme. Serves 4.

Grape Pie

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Squeeze the skins from 5 cups of Concord grapes, reserving both pulp and skins. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the pulp to a gentle boil (it will become opaque as it cooks). Remove from heat and run through a food mill to extract seeds. Return strained cooked pulp to saucepan and add reserved skins. Stir in 1¼ cups sugar and ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Pour filling into a 9-inch pastry-lined pie shell, dot with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and top with a crust. Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Dionysus's Chicken

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup red wine, 1 cup Concord grapes, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 small chopped shallot, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to a boil. Strain mixture, discarding the solids. Set aside ¼ cup of the grape glaze. Toss the rest with 2½ pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks. Place chicken skin-side up on a baking sheet and roast, basting with reserved glaze every 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serves 6.

Concord Grape Manhattan

Purée ¼ cup grapes. Strain (this should yield approximately 1½ ounces juice). Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add juice, 1½ ounces rye whiskey and 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a halved grape. Makes 1 drink.

(인용: WSJ)