Chorizo, dates and piquillo peppers are three things that are completely delicious by themselves. Combine them and you’ve got a triple threat of deliciousness to devour. Even if you think these are hard to make, follow these simple instructions for making Chorizo stuffed dates and you will be making them time and time again.
Avec’s Chorizo-Stuffed Dates With Piquillo Pepper Sauce are an amazing dish. I mean, you really can’t go wrong at this Chicago restaurant. But if you can’t make it there, at least you can make one of their dishes that will satisfy you until you can.
Ingredients for these marvelous Chorizo Stuffed Dates
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 shallots, thinly sliced
8 ounces (about 1 cup) roasted piquillo peppers with any juices (or use any roasted red peppers)
2 cups whole peeled canned tomatoes
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
16 Medjool dates (pitted)
8 ounces of fresh chorizo sausage (not cured), casings removed
8 slices bacon
Directions for preparing Chroizo stuffed dates
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and tomatoes and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the liquid in the sauce has mostly evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Let sauce cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and process until smooth. Thin with warm water to reach desired consistency if necessary. You want a thick sauce but not so thick that it mounds on the plate.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Stuff dates with chorizo, using about 1/2 tablespoon of chorizo per date. Cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and wrap a slice around each date.
Place stuffed dates on a small baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, or until chorizo is cooked through. Turn broiler to high and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, or until bacon is dark brown and crisp.
Spread sauce on each plate and place 3 dates on top. Serve warm.
Recipe Source: NY Times
