I Want a Date
A few weeks back I happened to be looking through September’s issue of Food and Wine Magazine, as I was searching for inspiration for a fall themed dinner. I came across this great recipe for chorizo-filled dates wrapped in bacon — I had to try it.
I’ve wanted to make this recipe for some time now but have not really had a reason to (like one needs a reason to wrap anything in bacon.) However, a friend of mine invited me to a presidential debate party last Friday and all the guests were required to a bring a bottle or food. I was at a loss on what I could make until I saw this; it was great. Prunes and dates are both drupes (thanks wiki) so I figured it was a perfect tribute, McCain was going to get eaten alive by Obama so it seemed fitting that I make these.
I didn’t follow the recipe exactly as indicated in F&W because this was a gay debate party and all dishes had to be free of fats.
Recipe post jump
-Remove the casing of two low fat Italian turkey sausage and cut into small enough chunks to fill the dates.
-Slice the medjool dates down the middle, but only half way so not to cut in half. Remove the seed and stuff in the sausage.
-Take a slice of the reduced fat turkey bacon and wrap around the date, using a toothpick to secure the bacon in place.
-Sauteed in evoo for about ten to fifteen minutes, until the bacon is a golden brown. To ensure that the sausage is fully cooked I placed it in the oven for ten minutes on 350 degrees, but any longer might dry them out.
This recipe required only two sausages, twenty dates and a packet of bacon.
The flavours were amazing. The juices from the date really infused with the sausage to give a great savoury-sweet taste to it and they are super gooey which gives a great texture. And at 2.5g of fat per piece you can eat as many as you like, but one guest of the party did remind me of something invaluable; “If you wrap anything in bacon it shouldn’t be low fat”.
on October 1st, 2008 at 8:33 am
Chorizo is quite possibly one of my favorite foods.
Nothing beats the real thing, but I’m sure this was still delicious.
on October 1st, 2008 at 9:29 am
These do sound amazing. Having just been reacquainted with the delicious mascarpone-stuffed and sea salt-sprinkled dates at Komi, I’m thinking it’s time to start working dates into my cooking at home.
on October 1st, 2008 at 10:18 am
These were outstanding! Definitely the hit of the party.
on October 1st, 2008 at 11:50 am
A pig-filled article during the Days of Awe = Blatant pandering to goyim.
on October 1st, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Oh wait, I think you all misunderstood my post. I really do want a date!!
on October 1st, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Maidelitala - nothing tref about this post! The bacon and the sausage Brit used are both turkey.
It does raise the question, though: if bacon is the culinary equivalent of a swear-word, what the fudge is turkey bacon?
on October 1st, 2008 at 8:24 pm
So noted. However (!) I wonder if imitation bacon should be considered kosher. I mean, isn’t it just a modern way of getting around the age-old prohibitions?
turkey bacon = gosh-darn; darn it all to heck; fuuuu-dgecicle; arse; biznitch?
on October 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 am
fuuuu-dgecicle — reference to a christmas story?!?!
on October 2nd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I had to look up a christmas story to know what you were talking about. I thought you were talking about charles dickens… I was very confused.
on October 4th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I love dates. I always have some in the cupboard for when I need something sweet to eat.
Obviously you served these cold?? Are they intentionally made to serve cold or are they better when just cooked and hot out of the oven?
on October 4th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I served these warm, straight from the oven. Much better warm than cold. But either or will work.
on October 6th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
[…] finalist is Lisa, the lovely blogger behind Dish-trict. Lisa takes on bacon-wrapped dates, which Brit told us about last week, and kicks them up a serious notch. (Sorry, Brit, but she used pine […]