Salted Grapes With Washed-Rind Cheese & Linseed Crackers

David Neville

Makes

24 small bites

Preparation

30 mins

Cook

3 hrs

Ingredients

	50g pumpkin seeds
	100g brown linseeds
	50g black chia seeds
	1 teaspoon smoked paprika
	1 teaspoon flaky salt
	150g natural rock salt
	1kg red table grapes
	450g washed-rind cheese (I used Galactic Gold from Over the Moon)
	2 tablespoons thyme leaves

Cook’s tip:

Store the baked grapes in the fridge and crackers in the cupboard in airtight containers for up to 4 days.

This recipe does take time, but is also very low maintenance and requires little attendance. These bites are a show stopper, but the baked grapes on their own can be used on a cheese board or antipasto arrangement.

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Instructions

1.	Grind the pumpkin seeds in a food processor until fine, then put into a medium-sized bowl with the linseeds and chia seeds, smoked paprika and flaky salt.
2.	Cover with 200ml of cold water and allow to swell for 15 minutes.
3.	Heat the oven to 180°C.
4.	Line a large baking tray with baking paper and scatter over the rock salt.
5.	Cut the grapes into smaller bunches that will lie flat and place them onto the rock salt.
6.	Bake for 1 hour, then lower heat to 90°C and continue to bake for a further 2 hours.
7.	Line a second baking tray with baking paper and spread the swollen seeds into a rectangle approximately 42cm x 33cm and 2mm thick (avoid spreading too thin and make it as even as possible).
8.	Place the crackers in to bake when you lower the heat on the grapes to 90°C and bake for 2 hours.
9.	When ready the grapes will be approximately half their size and shrivelled and the linseed crackers should be dry to the touch.
10.	Remove the linseed crackers and, while warm, use a sharp knife tip or pizza wheel to score into rectangles about 3cm x 9cm.
11.	Allow grapes and crackers to cool. Using a sharp knife carefully cut down the score lines to form neat crackers.
12.	Lift the grapes and gently shake off the rock salt.
13.	Cut the cheese into ½cm-thick slices and sandwich between two crackers.
14.	Top with picked baked grapes and a scattering of fresh thyme leaves.

Food styling, recipes & photography David Neville

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