Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Scatter the grapes on a small baking sheet with most of the thyme, a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and shake to coat them. Roast in the oven until the grapes start to blister and color, 10–15 minutes. Coat the walnuts with a little olive oil and roast on another small baking sheet until fragrant and toasted, 5–6 minutes. Cool both the grapes and walnuts.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine goat cheese and walnuts. Mix until fully incorporated, soft, and smooth. Lay a 12 x 12-inch piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Spread the goat cheese onto the plastic, forming a bed approximately 8 inches square.
3. Lightly chop the grapes. Gently press the chopped grapes into the goat cheese. Lift the plastic wrap, pulling the closest edge up and forcing the goat cheese to roll and form a roulade. Tighten the plastic around it and store the roulade in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour. Serve with crackers or a toasted baguette.

Chef’s Notes:

1. This may be made up to 2 days in advance. The roulade is a fun way to incorporate many flavors into one bite. The burst of the grapes, the smoothness of the goat cheese, and the crunch of the walnuts make the texture and experience one-of-a-kind.

Variations:

1. You can use pecans instead of walnuts and dried cranberries instead of grapes