Thursday’s Side Dish: Stuffed Dates

Tart, pungent, nutty bites

Yes, the sweet date fruit – despite their wrinkly appearance – can serve as the foundation for a great appetizer. The Mixed Stew Crew picked up a crumbly and white Mexican cheese at H-Mart to stuff inside dates with whole almonds. It’s a tasty contradiction of salty and sweet. The whole almond in each piece gives every bite a nutty and crunchy texture. Meanwhile, the white cheese also adds a rich and salty flavor to contrast slightly creamy feel that sweetened by the date’s natural sweetness. Many recipes call for gorgonzola or blue cheese -- so you get the idea of what kind of flavor we're talking about. Some cooks may go further and wrap these three ingredients in bacon, but the stuffed dates are just as tasty without the extra fat there’s no greasy mess with our rendition of this yummy dish.