If you’ve already added pickling to your home-cooking repertoire, you know that it’s a wonderful, make-ahead trick to add professional-looking garnishes to just about any dish. And if you haven’t pickled anything yet, this easy recipe is the perfect place to start.

All that’s required is a quick whisk-and-heat of the pickling liquid, then a pour-over into a quart jar. After an overnight stay in the fridge, your pickled grapes will be ready to grace a cheeseboard, spice up a salad, or add anise-y depth to a roasted chicken’s pan sauce. The grapes’ natural sweetness is complemented by a well-curated herb and spice mix that includes bay leaf, coriander, fennel, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes.

Pickled fruits and vegetables are making a resurgence as craft cocktail garnishes, too. If you usually choose a pickled onion or olive for your martini, you’ll love the punchy burst these grapes contribute to your favorite bevvie.

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients

½ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup water

1 lb red grapes, rinsed, drained, and halved lengthwise

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

1 Gelson’s organic bay leaf

½ tsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp fennel seeds

¼ tsp black peppercorns

⅛ tsp mustard seeds

⅛ tsp red pepper flakes

Special equipment: 1-quart canning jar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegars, sugar, salt, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking until the sugar and salt dissolve. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Combine the remainder of the ingredients in a clean, 1-quart canning jar.

3. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over the grapes and tightly seal the lid.

4. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight, to pickle. The pickles will keep in the fridge for at least two weeks.

Calculate nutrition information for this recipe.