Ingredients
- 1 pound seedless red grapes
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 2-½-inch stick cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preparation
Trimming the ends off the grapes helps the brine penetrate the fruit. Serve these alongside roasted or grilled meat, as an accompaniment for cheese or as a crostini topping.
Use a small sharp knife to cut a small slice off the stem end of each grape. Place the trimmed grapes in 1 clean glass quart jar or 2 clean glass pint jars.
In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves and salt to a boil, whisking occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Let cool for a few minutes. Pour the brine over the grapes, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top. Let cool at room temperature for about 1 hour. Screw on the lid, turn the jar upside-down a few times to distribute the brine and refrigerate at least overnight and up to 1 week. If possible, occasionally flip the jar over to mix the brine and grapes around a bit.