Bacon-wrapped dates make a decadent, yet simple holiday appetizer
I still remember seeing a recipe for bacon-wrapped dates in my cooking class recipe packet more than 30 years ago and thinking, "I'm not going to like this." When it came time to taste what we had made, I begrudgingly tried one and realized I was very wrong because they were delicious and couldn't have been easier to make.
According to BritishFoodHistory.com, the British have served Angels on Horseback, or bacon-wrapped oysters, since the 19th century. The first Devil on Horseback was a tea-soaked prune wrapped in bacon, a sweeter choice for those who didn't enjoy the oyster version.
While I have never had the prune version, I have developed a love for the chewy, sweet and salty variety featuring a pitted date.
Some think of this as an old-fashioned recipe, but I can assure you they are very trendy and appear on restaurant menus everywhere.
One of my favorite restaurants stuffs dates with Gorgonzola cheese before wrapping them in bacon. Once cooked, the little parcels are set in a shallow puddle of blueberry gastrique and then topped with black truffle honey and chopped macadamia nuts. Yes, this is a complicated version, but it is an example of how you can dress up these little guys if you'd like.
My at-home version is much less complicated and still a family favorite.
I start with pitted dates, but I will admit to mistakenly purchasing dates still containing pits once, resulting in a lot of work and a sticky mess. I will never make that mistake again.
Wrap the date in bacon, secure it with a toothpick, cook until the bacon is crisp and no longer chewy, and serve. It is that easy.
When I have a little extra time and feel fancy, I like to stuff the dates with a piece of manchego cheese and sometimes a small piece of cured Spanish chorizo, a cross between pepperoni and hard salami. I have also stuffed dates with whatever cheese I have on hand and omitted the chorizo. Wrap all of this in bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp. Finish by brushing each morsel with a bit of maple syrup or honey, returning it to the oven for a few minutes before serving.
Some recipes add something to the maple syrup or honey to provide a little heat, like a dash of hot sauce or chile powder.
The variety of possibilities with this recipe is almost endless, so I have included a chart with some options, but feel free to make them your own with your favorite ingredients.
I keep a package of dates in my pantry and cut bacon in my freezer at all times, so this is one of the dishes I can whip up on the spur of the moment. Plus, the dates can be stuffed and wrapped in bacon ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to bake them, making this a great make-ahead appetizer. I have even wrapped plain dates in bacon and frozen them tightly sealed, with great results.
The key to this recipe is ensuring the bacon is cooked until crisp. Depending on the thickness of your bacon and how many times it is wrapped around the date, this can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
Here's hoping you are tempted to try your version of this recipe sometime over the holidays!
• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.
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Bacon-Wrapped Dates
For this recipe, plan on two or three dates per person for an appetizer.
Pitted dates
Sliced bacon, approximately 4 inches long
Any optional ingredient you select (see sidebar)
Toothpicks
Foil-lined baking sheet with sides
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wrap each date in bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Place on foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip each date over. Place back in oven and cook until crisp and browned. (If brushing with something sweet, do this once bacon is completely cooked and return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes.) Transfer to paper towel-lined platter before placing on a serving platter.
Serve warm.
Penny Kazmier