Cooking With Dates
 

The other day, I was shopping and saw packages of big, fresh dates. They immediately brought me back to when my parents lived in the desert and we used to always stop for date shakes. Nostalgia won out. I had to bring some dates home with me.

Now what do I do with them besides snack on them? I came across this food article in the LA Times this morning and they have some beautiful recipes that use dates, such as braised chicken in cinnamon-and-chile-spiked coconut milk, topped with pieces of dates, or thick-cut pork chops, covered in a quick beurre blanc sauce and studded with almonds, herbs and chewy rings of dates, or date, cabbage slaw, or an appetizer of warm dates, sauteed in olive oil infused with za’atar and thyme and served with cold slabs of salty feta...the list goes on. All of these sounded so sophisticated and super yummy. I'm gonna have to try some!

https://www.latimes.com/recipes-usin...-a-sweet-snack

(The Times may not let you into the site if you don't have a subscription. Just let me know if you want me to retrieve a recipe for you.)

Wow, Tartan, I haven't thought of those in years. They were so good. Thanks for posting tropit.

Let me know if you can get on to the site and get access to the recipes.

First thing that came to my mind, too ........ and date turnovers! :)
Then, Stuffed Dates (with fruit cream cheese) .... mmmmmm!

Wonder? how dates would be cooked into oatmeal porridge?

I have always loved dates...never had a date shake but I will make a point of it if we ever visit the Hubby's sister who has moved back to the San Diego area.

I grew up on this Dromedary Dates bar recipe --
https://www.food.com/recipe/dromedar...om-1912-213599

Also an apple/date cake... this looks like a nice recipe for that
https://www.rotinrice.com/apple-and-dates-cake/

There are many more savory things to do with dates as well, simple appetizers like "Devils on Horseback" which is a stuffed date with bacon... Here's Martha's take on that:
https://www.marthastewart.com/346586...s-on-horseback

IceBlossom .... you have me intrigued on this one!
What is the baked texture .... sticky? fruit bread like? heavy? etc.?
With the added brown sugar, a very sweet treat?

(And I just happen to have an extra cup of dates right now!!!)

QuiltE, it's been years. No matter how you make it, it is sweet. Pecan pie level sweet if that makes sense.

I'd say well baked you get a chewy tender inside, with definite crust on the outside. Here's a link with picture:

https://creative-culinary.com/old-fa...t-bars-recipe/

Being a family recipe, I've often had it badly baked too... warnings, if you forget this in the oven and bake it to death it will probably stick to the pan for all eternity! You can botch the crumble mixture into a dry floury thing that makes you cough when you inhale... but most of the time, it's just good :)

Thanks IceBlossom .... however, I did not find the photo of the Dromedary's, but the traditional ones that Tartan first mentioned.

Still intrigued with the recipe, though the oh-so-sweet has me hesitant, unless I find someone to download the excess to. For your pecan pie example, I truly like it, but two or three bites and I am done, as then it's way too much sweet at once. And that's without even considering the calories!!

About the sticky mess in pans ... I have come to manage that for most things, since I started using parchment paper. Perfect too, when doing BBQ spareribs in the oven. Hardly any mess to have to clean.

Mom's date Bar recipe

Filling: Cook 3/4 pound of dates, 1 Cup sugar, and 2 C hot water until thick, Let cool

Crust: 1 C brown sugar, 2 C flour, 1C shortening (use 1/2 butter), 2 C oatmeal (old fashioned I think was used), 1tsp. soda and a pinch of salt. Mix together, then put 1/2 mixture into a 9 X 13 cake pan and press down with hands. Spread cooled date mixture on dough in pan, cover with remaining dough. Bake 350 F for 20 minutes.

us kids loved this recipe and it was always a hit at get togethers and mom frequently made this for funerals too!

we have cut back the sugar a bit in the date mixture as dates are pretty sweet on their own.