The Song of Solomon is the most beautiful and sensual book of the Bible. Much discussion is given to love, sensuality, imagery, perfumes, jewels and fruit — in particular, autumn fruits like apples, pomegranates and grapes.
The imagery is phenomenal:
Thy breast shall be as clusters of the vine
The smell of thy nose like apples
Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
Since this forum is a cooking column, we’ll focus on food, with some delicious dishes incorporating the voluptuous fruits of the fall. The Wine-Steeped Grapes are an intriguing accompaniment to anyone’s garden visit. Serve the leftover wine with sparkling water for a refreshing drink.
Fall Salad of Pomegranates and Apples | Serves 6
For dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. mustard
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground pepper
For the salad:
1 lb. baby spinach leaves
2 small apples, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Whisk together all dressing ingredients. Toss the spinach with all but 2 Tbs. of the dressing. Divide among 8 plates. Arrange the apple slices, feta and pomegranate seeds over the salads and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve immediately.
Wine-Steeped Grapes | Serves 6
1 bottle dry white wine (fumé blanc)
1/3 cup superfine or baker’s sugar
2 lbs. grapes, red or green, cut into small clusters
zest of 1 lemon
4 small rosemary sprigs
Pour the wine into a non-metal bowl. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Add the grapes and lemon zest and mix gently. Allow the grapes to steep and chill for at least 4 hours.
When ready to serve, place the grapes in a serving bowl. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs and serve.
Fresh Grape Tart | Serves 6-8
1 cup wine jelly
2 Tbs. water
1 pastry shell, baked without filling
1 cup pastry cream (below)
3 cups seedless grapes
Mix the jelly and the water in a small pot and heat, until the jelly is melted. This glaze will be brushed over the finished tart.
Spread the pastry cream over the pastry shell. Arrange the grapes in an attractive pattern over the pastry cream. Brush the melted jelly lightly over the fruit. Serve within 4-6 hours.
Pastry Cream | Makes about 2 cups
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup milk
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a small saucepan until they become pale yellow. Gradually work in the flour, cornstarch and vanilla powder until everything is well combined.
Add the milk to the egg mixture. Bring everything to a boil, whisking constantly, and remove from the heat. Strain the Pastry Cream through a course strainer into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cool before using. Pastry Cream may be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator before using.
Rebecca Ets-Hokin is a Bay Area cooking teacher and food professional. Her columns alternate with those of Louise Fiszer. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to [email protected].