Recipe: Oven-roasted grapes

Oven-roasted grapes

Total time: 15 minutes, plus 2 to 3 hours roasting time

Servings: 8 to 16

Note: This is a wonderful accompaniment for cheeses, other fruits and even over ice cream. Adapted from Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos.

4 tablespoons fennel seeds

4 pounds seedless red or black table grapes

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. In a small sauté pan heated over medium heat, toast the fennel seeds until they are lightly colored and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan frequently. Grind the fennel seeds to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

3. Wash the grapes, and clip them into small clusters. Place the clusters in a large bowl and drizzle over the grapeseed oil. Toss the clusters so all the grapes are coated. Sprinkle over the fennel powder and sea salt, then toss again to make sure the spice and seasoning is evenly distributed over the grapes. Place the prepared clusters on a baking sheet.

4. Roast the grapes until they are well-shriveled but not burnt, 2 to 3 hours.

5. Eat the grapes hot or at room temperature. Roasted grapes will keep for 2 days, unrefrigerated.

Each of 16 servings: 113 calories; 1 gram protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 4 grams fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 18 grams sugar; 344 mg sodium.