Today’s recipe is inspired by a meal I had years ago in Montalcino, Italy. It wasn’t just that it tasted good — it was the beautiful presentation that captivated me. Small meatballs and grapes clustered on the plate to resemble a bunch of grapes. Back at our rented farmhouse near Cortona, I made notes on the dish, and then promptly forgot all about it. A couple of weeks ago, our friend Barbara (who was at the table that day in Italy) asked if I had ever recreated it.

I dug out my notes, made a few edits, and put it together for one of Mark‘s pre-birthday celebrations. It has great flavor; the combination of veal with the grapes is unexpected, subtle and – in a word – incredible. Also, it’s really stunning on the plate! I even made Mark grow a grapevine so I would have leaves for garnish. I paired it with a Pinot Noir made at the vineyard owned by John Malkovich: Les Quelles de la Coste — you can read more on the Provence WineZine.

~ David

37 Comments

  1. Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food When, What to My Wondering Eyes Should Appear… - Provence WineZine

    January 7, 2023 at 6:37 am

    […] Their short, last-minute, late-December visit to Arizona coincided perfectly with a couple of holiday celebrations. For one of those evenings, I created a dish I’d had at a restaurant in Italy more than a decade ago. I scrounged around till I found my notes from 2011; they provided just the right amount of information for me to make Polpettine con le Uve — small meatballs with grapes. It’s presentation, along with its combination of flavors, makes it a wonderful, light main course to pair with today’s wine. You can find the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender. […]

    Reply
  2. Cathy Hackert

    January 7, 2023 at 6:54 am

    OOOOooo…this one sounds like a keeper! Thanks. On my list!

    Reply
  3. Mad Dog

    January 7, 2023 at 7:01 am

    That looks amazing!

    Reply
  4. Chef Mimi

    January 7, 2023 at 7:38 am

    That is a beautiful presentation! And I bet it’s delicious.

    Reply
  5. Jeff the Chef

    January 7, 2023 at 8:36 am

    Mark has multiple pre-birthday celebrations? With food like this? He’s a lucky guy! What an amazing presentation, and I can only imagine how great it tastes.

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:51 am

      Thanks, Jeff — he doesn’t suffer too terribly…

      Reply
  6. Susan Esco Chandler

    January 7, 2023 at 9:38 am

    David, this looks fabulous! A must to try!
    When are Mark’s grape leaves in season?!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:50 am

      Well, I imagine the leaves will be best in late spring — will you still be here?

      Reply
  7. Eha

    January 7, 2023 at 2:27 pm

    Well, the Italian presentation colours show off this delight most beautifully ! I rather love a pork and veal mix in my mince . . . and shall most definitely try a little more thyme next time around . I bet I can see Mark’s smile now . . .

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:49 am

      The thyme is such a nice addition to this dish, Eha — I don’t think it was in the original but it felt right to me!

      Reply
  8. Ronit

    January 7, 2023 at 4:09 pm

    This is such a beautiful and tasty looking dish. I often use grapes in savory dishes, so I’m definitely planning on preparing this one! 🙂

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:48 am

      Thanks, Ronit — I really think you will enjoy the dish!

      Reply
  9. Frank | Memorie di Angelina

    January 8, 2023 at 7:15 am

    How lovely, David. Truly a labor of love. I could see this as the main course for a Valentine’s Day dinner.

    Reply
  10. Gerlinde de Broekert

    January 8, 2023 at 7:32 am

    It is a gorgeous presentation. I never roasted grapes. I have to try it.

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:47 am

      Roasted grapes pair well with all kinds of savory dishes, Gerlinde — the first I ever had was a roasted chicken with grapes in a cream sauce in Germany!

      Reply
  11. Christina Conte

    January 9, 2023 at 11:31 am

    Hahaha! Grow a grape vine simply for adornment on a plate–I love it! Your dish looks stunning, David! What a beautiful dish to serve!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:45 am

      I’m a very demanding husband/chef! And who knows? Maybe we will get grapes someday!

      Reply
  12. Ron

    January 9, 2023 at 11:30 pm

    Meatballs and grapes. This is indeed a very interesting and surely tasty pairing, not to mention the beautiful plating. I think you could place your dish on a table in Montalcino and receive much praise.
    I’m with Mark, multiple birthday celebrations are lovely. Why have all of one’s friends over for one birthday bash when you can divide it up into multiple parties…

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:40 am

      We have a friend who says you should always celebrate your birth month, Ron. I think that’s a great idea… Thank you so much for your kind words about the meatballs and crapes. It is a really beautiful presentation and, as we eat with her eyes first, we did well.

      Reply
  13. Raymund

    January 12, 2023 at 3:47 pm

    I can just imagine the juicy sweet explosion of those grapes on every bite, matching it with the meatballs will be a perfect match of sweet and savoury

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:30 am

      Thanks, Raymund — it really is a nice combination.

      Reply
  14. Pauline

    January 13, 2023 at 4:08 am

    Grapes are in season here so I should include them in cooking like you have, this looks quite exquisite and I’m sure it tastes amazing. Birthdays should last at least a week. Thanks for the inspiration with this recipe David. I am always taking notes about food I eat too:)

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:21 am

      Grapes are so versatile, Pauline! And their sweetness compliments savory dishes beautifully. It’s funny — I generally don’t ask the chef for recipes — I would rather take notes and maybe — just maybe — make something a little different and better!

      Reply
      • Pauline

        January 17, 2023 at 9:03 pm

        Yes me too David.

        Reply
  15. 2pots2cook

    January 13, 2023 at 6:01 am

    What a creative presentation. You don’t need gold and diamonds to leave us breathless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a masterpiece!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 13, 2023 at 7:19 am

      Thank you so much, Davorka — what a generous compliment!

      Reply
  16. sherry

    January 13, 2023 at 10:00 pm

    this looks so very cute david. And i bet it’s tasty too. who doesn’t love a meatball? especially a tiny one 🙂

    Reply
  17. Valentina

    January 14, 2023 at 2:49 pm

    Such a fun presentation that is also so elegant. I really love cooking with grapes, and they sound incredibly delicious in combination with all of the other flavors here. Very cool you saved your notes about this one, and lucky Mark to have both birthday and PRE-birthday celebrations. 😀 ~Valentina

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 16, 2023 at 1:34 pm

      Really, we find so many things to celebrate each month – as if we need an excuse to celebrate!

      Reply
  18. Ben | Havocinthekitchen

    January 17, 2023 at 4:51 pm

    What a beautiful recipe! My first thought was that you’d stuffed the grapes with the ground veal (That would be a challenge, eh?!) Bit even without this extra step, the dish looks stunning. And as a huge fan of pairing meat with fruit, that’s definitely right up my alley!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      January 18, 2023 at 9:43 am

      That reminds me of the time when I stuffed olives with meat, and then fried them. It’s a traditional street food in Italy, and I can see why it’s not made it home. Stuffing grapes would be a lot harder! I think fruit and meat. Very well together, too. Although I know people who don’t like the combination at all…

      Reply
  19. Inger

    February 2, 2023 at 6:28 am

    Yes, glorious presentation!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.