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Homegrown: Concord Grapes
One of the few truly American fruits
by Victoria Abbott Riccardi
You know autumn has arrived in New England when boxes of tangy-sweet Concord grapes start showing up at local markets and farm stands. In fact, these dusky-purple orbs are so fragrant, you can smell them before you see them. Their growing season is brief, so enjoy them now, either straight from the vine or in a recipe. And don't limit yourself to jam or jelly; Concord grapes make fabulous savory sauces and desserts.
To make fresh juice, for example, just whirl whole grapes in your blender (seeds, skins, and all) and pour the mixture through a strainer. Voila -- a gorgeous, violet juice that tastes so sweet, it needs no added sugar. For cooking, just slip off the tart skins and press the pulp through a sieve. Then use the pulp as is, or add the skins back in for flavor and texture. And here's the bonus: Aside from their tantalizing taste, Concord grapes brim with flavonoids, resveratrol, and other antioxidants, so they may help fight cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
A New England Original
Although New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Washington now supply the bulk of the country's commercial crop, the Concord grape did indeed get its start in Concord, Massachusetts. Gold-leaf artisan, horticulturalist, and Concord resident Ephraim Wales Bull (1806-1895) spent years working with 22,000 seedlings before finding a vine worth keeping -- a derivative of a wild Vitis labrusca grape that could withstand the harsh New England weather. He propagated it for five years before bringing his crop to market, thus making the Concord grape one of just a handful of edible fruits native to North America. In fact, a shoot that grew from the original Concord grapevine root still clings to a trellis near Bull's little white house -- a living testimony to the hardy nature of this tasty, healthy treat.
Pan-Seared Duck Breasts with Maple-Grape Conserve
Poultry Recipes
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Plumped dried currants and toasted pecans give this spicy preserve a nutty sweetness and a chunky thickness. While it makes a sumptuous accompaniment to duck, it also pairs beautifully with venison, pork, and chicken.
- 1-1/2 pounds Concord grapes, rinsed
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup ruby port wine
- 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2/3 cup chopped pecan pieces, toasted
- 6 boneless duck breast halves
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Stem and slip skins off grapes; reserve skins for later use. In a medium saucepan over low heat, cook grape pulp until softened, about 5 minutes. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and pour in grape mixture. Press pulp with the back of a spoon to separate seeds from pulp; discard seeds.
Transfer pulp back to saucepan. Add reserved grape skins, dried currants, maple syrup, port, brown sugar, vinegar, and cloves. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes; stir occasionally as mixture thickens. Let cool slightly and then stir in pecans. (You may make this conserve recipe a week ahead; just cool, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Season duck breast halves on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium setting 2 minutes; skillet will be very hot. Add duck breasts skin side down and cook 12 to 15 minutes, until skin is crisp and excess fat is released. Turn duck and cook 3 minutes longer for medium doneness (still pink in the center).
Remove duck from skillet and let rest 5 minutes on a cutting board. Carve breasts on the diagonal into thin slices. Arrange duck on plates and top with any juices that have accumulated on cutting board. Serve with maple-grape conserve on the side.
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