DATES WRAPPED IN BACON WITH GREEN OLIVE DIPPING SAUCE

As I mentioned in my previous post, this New Year's Eve theme was tapas.  One of my favorite things to order whenever I go to a tapas restaurant is anything wrapped in bacon, so naturally we had to make something involved this heavenly pork product, despite the fact that our gracious hosts were vegetarian.  I'm sorry, but if you're going to do tapas you gotta have bacon and or sausage (preferably both).

I found this recipe in Tyler Florence's first cookbook, which is fast proving itself to be full of reliably tasty recipes.  Because Annie's mother-in-law, who is alergic to nuts, was going to be at the party, I  was forced to alter the recipe a little, but I think it works.

INGREDIENTS
40 Pitted dates, about 1 1/2 pounds
20 bacon slices, halved
parmesan cheese cut in to small chunks the size of an almond (the original recipe called for almonds rather than cheese, but you know, as tempting as it may be, we mustn't poison the mother-in-law)
Green Olive Dipping (see recipe below)

METHOD
With a small knife, make a slit down the side of the date.  Stuff a chunk of cheese into the slit and then wrap with bacon, securing it in place with a tooth pick. 

And that's IT.  Can you believe it?  This has got to be the easiest party nibble EVER.  So the whole slit, stuff, wrap business can be done a day in advance, placed on a cookie sheet and wrapped in cling film and put in the fridge until you need them.  Then when it's time to party down you want to heat your oven to 350 degrees F, slide them in  and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.  Take them out and flip each one over and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.  The time really depends on the thickness of the bacon so just keep an eye on them.  It will make your life easier if you line the cookie sheets with foil.  As the bacon cooks, a lot of fat melts off leaving the pan a bit of an oil slick and the sugars in the dates can really burn onto the pan.  Also know that the bacon never really gets crisp. 

Serve on a platter with a little bowl of...

GREEN OLIVE DIPPING SAUCE
INGEDIENTS
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 dried red chili, minced
1/2 pound green Spanish olives, pitted
small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

METHOD
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a small skillet and heat over lowish heat.  Add the shallots and saute for 8 minutes, until carmelized.  Let the shallots cool and then put them in the bowl of a food processor along with the olives, parsley, vinegar and 1/2 cup of olive oil.  Puree until totally smooth.

These are great warm or room temperature.  The smokey bacon works really well with the sweetness of the date and the salty parmesan cheese, which should be slightly melted.  They're great on their own but dipping them in the green olive sauce takes them to another level. People at the party devoured these.  Even the vegetarians were tempted.

Comments

[Jessica]

Do you think you could use the dipping sauce for other things? Just curious.

[philip]

Horseradish Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients: sour cream, grated onion, prepared horseradish, salt... view the recipe
http://www.horseradish-sauce-recipe.w8w.pl

[Janet J]

Wonderful site, but it would be nice for there to be a printable format for the recipes. Too much paper is wasted.

[buy viagra]

Adobo bacon is done via the dip in marinade and subsequent drying. In the traditional slaughtering is often done along with the marinade phases carne.Las parts that are still in processing of backfat are: Dip the pieces of pork in the marinade (Water, salt, pepper, oregano and other spices according to taste.) Keep immersed for 8-10 días.Sacar the marinade and hang to dry and cure.Thank you very much for that information. I liked your blog, the topic is very interesting...

[nike air max]

Your suggestions are extremely distinctive, I help you. I think you should always be described as a clever man. So i prefer to know you.