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Today it’s about dates! And not just any, but delicious ones Medjool dates. Because as I learned a few years ago on my first trip to the Middle East, what you get in the supermarket here unfortunately has nothing to do with the delicacies that are available there. I was all the more pleased when I received a large package of the very best premium Medjool dates in jumbo size. This immediately brought back wonderful memories because I couldn’t get enough of the delicious dates during my vacation. They’re also just a great snack!
I can eat the dates straight away! But they are also suitable as an alternative sweetener because, although they naturally contain sugar, they also contain a lot of fiber and vitamins. They are an incredibly delicious treat filled with nut butter and covered with chocolate and a touch of fleur de sel. I really enjoy baking with them because the caramel aroma of dates of this quality gives sweet pastries a wonderful touch. A while ago I tried date confectionery with marzipan and nougat. Perfect for the coming Christmas season! But these dates also enhance my nut bread with dried fruits.
Daniel and Maya from Premium Medjool bring this first-class quality straight home from Israel without any detours – you can see and taste it.
These dates are not only particularly large, but also wonderfully juicy and soft. And the taste is different too. Dates are sweet, but dates of this quality are not sugary; the aroma is much more complex and multi-layered. That’s why they’re great to use in the kitchen. At first I thought of something sweet that I could make with the dates, but then I thought of the ever-popular ones Dates wrapped in bacon and I dared to create a dish that, for me, combines exactly this interplay of sweetness and saltiness: Stuffed, savory dates!
I filled the delicious dates with a spicy mixture of ground beef, mint, parsley and pistachios and baked them in the oven. And just the smell when I opened the oven was heavenly!
Are you expecting guests for brunch or dear friends are coming to visit and you would like to provide a small snack? Then this is just the thing for you! The stuffed, savory dates are easy to prepare and bake in the oven all by themselves, so you can then serve them fresh and warm. In my recipe I baked for a large group, but if you expect fewer visitors, you can easily scale it down. But be careful: these things are addictive! 🙂
Unfortunately, my premium Medjool dates are almost used up, but if you would like to stock up, take a look at Daniel and Maya: The price-performance ratio is absolutely good and then you can get started straight away and follow my recipe!
Stuffed, savory dates
Ingredients for approx. 50 pieces:
50 fresh Medjool Jumbo dates
750g fresh minced beef
50 g pistachio nuts
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 bunch of fresh mint
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder
2 tsp salt
Pepper from the mill
Olive oil for greasing the mold and brushing the dates
Preparation:
First, carefully cut the dates lengthways on one side and remove the narrow core from each. But only cut the dates on one side so that they are not completely halved. Do this with all the dates.
Roast the pistachio nuts in a pan over medium heat without adding any fat so that they smell aromatic. Then remove from the pan and chop finely with a knife. Set the chopped pistachios aside.
Wash the parsley and mint thoroughly and then carefully pat dry. Pick off the leaves and chop them finely.
Now carefully mix the minced meat with the chopped pistachios, parsley, mint and all the spices in a large bowl. Then put about a generous tablespoon of the meat mixture into the middle of each date and press the date together again. Depending on the size of the date, a little more or less filling can of course be added.
Thoroughly coat a baking tray or two large baking dishes with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees top and bottom heat.
Now place the filled dates next to each other with minimal space between them in the prepared pan and brush them thinly with olive oil using a kitchen brush. Bake the stuffed, savory dates in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until they are lightly golden brown.
Once the dates are fully baked, serve them hot/warm!
Bon appetit!
Tip: If you want, serve hummus or a yoghurt dip with it. They go perfectly with dishes/snacks from Levantine cuisine, but also generally on a buffet. The only important thing is that they are eaten while still warm!
