U is for Uvas (Grapes)
Uvas (oo – vuhs) is the Spanish word for grapes. The cluster of seeds in the middle of the grape makes it a berry. Grapes can be found with seeds and without seeds. The ones with seeds have more flavor,
but most Americans prefer seedless. Grapes are a fruit that grows on a vine all over the whole world, but they were first grown in the Middle East. Most of the grapes grown in the United States are from California and are used to make wine, juice or raisins. Raisins are dried grapes. Grapes can be green, red, blue or purple. They are one of the few fruits that do not grow from a seed. New vines grow from planting pieces of old vines.
Uvas are usually picked and shipped when they are ripe, and they should last about one week in the refrigerator. Keep them in the bag that they came in! This is a special bag that has holes in it so moisture doesn’t build up in the bag. If they are kept in sealed bag, they will not stay good for very long. You can also freeze grapes! They make a great snack in the summer or a fun alternative to ice cubes in a cold drink. Make sure you wash them and let them air dry before freezing.
Uvas can be added to hot and cold cereals, salads, or eaten as a snack as is. Try serving sliced grapes and low fat cheese as a dessert or after school snack. Toss grapes with some plain yogurt and granola for an easy, satisfying breakfast.
Uvas are great in savory dishes, too! This whole roast chicken with grapes makes a great weekend dinner. You can even use leftovers to make a chicken salad (which you can add fresh grapes to!) for lunches.
Roast Chicken with Grapes (Uvas) recipe from simplyrecipes.com
Ingredients
- 1 roasting chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds
- 1 lemon, cut into thin wedges
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion, peeled, cut into eight wedges
- 1 large bunch of seedless grapes (about 3 cups total)
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, and/or tarragon
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- Olive oil
Directions
- Let chicken sit at room temperature (70°F) for at least an hour so it comes close to room temp before roasting.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat the chicken dry. Rub inside and outside of chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle inside and outside with salt and pepper. Remove about a cup’s worth of grapes from their stems and cut in half. Insert grapes into cavity. Add a couple onion wedges into the cavity, along with a few sprigs of fresh herbs. You do not need to remove the rosemary from its stem. Add a couple lemon wedges to the cavity.
- Line the bottom of a roasting pan with onion slices and lemon wedges. Place the chicken on a roasting rack in the roasting pan, on top of the lemon wedges and onion, breast side down. (Alternatively you can place the chicken directly in the pan, resting on the onions, in which case the breast meat will braise in the juices, instead of roasting.) Place sprigs of herbs and slices of lemon between the wings and the body of the chicken. Arrange any remaining grapes, lemon wedges, and herbs in the pan.
- Roast at 450°F for 25 minutes. Then baste with a cup of the stock and reduce the heat to 400°F. Cook for 30 minutes more and baste again with the 2nd cup of stock. Cook for another 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken) until the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into the chicken thigh, or when the temperature reading of a meat thermometer, inserted deep into the thigh, reads 160°F.
- Remove the roast from the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken will continue to rise.
- Carve the chicken. Turn the chicken so that it is breast side up on a carving board. First separate the legs (drumstick and thigh) from the body. Then cut away the wings. Make a cut down the breast bone. Continue to cut down on one side of the breast bone, cutting the breast away from the carcass, following the curvature of the rib cage as you cut. Repeat on the other side. Slice the breasts crosswise to serve. Arrange the pieces on a platter, surrounded by grapes and caramelized onions from the roasting pan. Spoon pan sauce over the chicken pieces, and serve.