Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Cooking With the Muscadine Grapes
Most will recognize the sweet Muscadine grape by the variety of sweet wines produced right there in Eastern North Carolina. They are very commonly grown and celebrated by many Muscadine lovers each year.
Nutritionally, Muscadine grapes are an excellent source of dietary fiber -- you’ll get about 105 calories and 7 grams of fiber from a serving of 35 Muscadine. , The fruit and its juice are both sweet and fragrant. Muscadine juice has a high concentration of the cholesterol-lowering nutrient resveratrol, making it a healthy beverage choice if consumed in moderation.
Resveratrol is the antioxidant that is responsible for red wine’s heart-healthy reputation, and the mighty muscadine has nine times more antioxidant power than the red grapes used to make California’s red wines. They also contain six times the fiber; muscadine wines may also contain three to four times the amount of phenolic compounds (which have antioxidant properties), plus a higher ellagic acid content than your average red wine.
According to the most recent research, “Resveratrol helps to decrease cholesterol, fight cancer, and some newer studies show that it may reduce the risk of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, high-blood pressure, Crohn’s, Parkinson’s, and more, and ultimately may lengthen one’s lifespan.”
Muscadines are also fat-free, high in fiber, low in sodium and an excellent source of manganese — they’re a perfect addition to a healthy diet.
To get the full nutritional power, you must remember to eat the skin!
Muscadine Vinaigrette
(Recipe courtesy of Raleigh City Farm)
20 large muscadine grapes
1 teaspoon local honey
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ cup canola oil
Process the grapes: Cut each grape in half, remove seeds, and squeeze out the goodie, (this was a new one on me, the goodie is the sweet interior of the grape) of the grape, separating it from the grape skins. Place the skins in a food processor along with the goodie of half of the grapes. Reserve the remaining goodies in a small mixing bowl.
Into the food processor add the honey, salt, and vinegar, and puree until smooth (if the skins don't fully puree strain the mixture and return to the processor). With the machine running, slowly add the canola oil to emulsify. Pour over the grape goodie and mix to combine.
Veggies and Muscadine Vinaigrette Salad
3 bell peppers, thinly sliced
5 fresh okra, thinly sliced and roasted
10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, or
1-2 larger tomatoes, cut into wedges
Cheese for topping, your choice, goat cheese, feta, blue or even fresh Parmesan
Toss the veggies with Romaine lettuce and the Muscadine vinaigrette, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish with cheese of your choice. Drizzle with a little more dressing. Enjoy!!
Muscadine Grape and Ginger Snap Crisp
(Recipe courtesy of Carolina County magazine)
6 cups muscadine grapes
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
For the Topping
20 small gingersnap cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon apple pie spice
Pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Over bowl (to capture juices), cut grapes in half with scissors and push seeds out with thumb. Drop grape halves (hull and pulp) into bowl with juice. Stir in sugar and flour. Mix well and pour into baking dish (best in 9″ square baking dish or 12″ cast iron skillet).
With your hands, break cookies and put pieces into food processor. Mix in all other toppings but butter. Add butter and pulse in spurts until incorporated and mixture is roughly crumbled. Scatter crumbs over grape mixture.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Baking time will vary a bit depending on depth of baking dish.
Muscadine Pepper Jelly
5 cups Muscadine juice, see recipe below
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 (1.75 ounce) package fruit pectin
5 cups sugar
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
In a large Dutch oven, bring Muscadine Juice to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in vinegar and pectin. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in sugar, bell pepper, red pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring frequently, until a candy thermometer registers 220°, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Carefully ladle into canning jars, and refrigerate up to 2 months. Follow canning method on pectin package, if desired. Yields 6 cups.
Muscadine Juice
5 pounds muscadine or scuppernong grapes
5 cups water
In a large Dutch oven, bring grapes and 5 cups water to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Using a potato masher, continually mash grapes while they cook, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Yields 9 cups.
Muscadine, Kielbasa and Brussels Sprouts Roast
1 14 ounce pack of turkey or pork Kielbasa, sliced diagonally
3 cups of muscadine (or scuppernong) grapes, halved and seeded
3 cups of fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and haled
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic glaze, store bought or make your own
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss the kielbasa, muscadines, and sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes.
To serve, drizzle with Balsamic glaze. Serve with rice for a heartier meal.
Muscadine Sauce
5 pounds Muscadine grapes, halved*
9 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Squeeze pulp from grape halves into a bowl, reserving skins.
Bring skins to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until tender.
Bring pulp to a boil in a saucepan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 20 minutes or until seeds separate from pulp. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into saucepan containing skins, discarding solids. Add sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, 2 hours or until thickened. Stir in vinegar and next 3 ingredients. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 225° to 230°.
Ladle hot mixture into hot, sterilized pint-size jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.
Process in boiling-water bath 20 minutes. Serve with turkey, biscuits, or toast.
