Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Curried Apple Hash
The genius of this elegant appetizer lies in combining dates and bacon – one of the best of all food pairings – with a sweet-savory mix of grated apples, onion, and curry.
Chef Will Gilson serves these delectable hors d’oeuvres at his Cambridge, Massachusetts restaurant, Garden at the Cellar. He created them for his fall menu but found that any attempts to take them off the roster during the warm weather months were met with howls of outrage. And so they remain. The genius lies in combining dates and bacon – one of the best of all food pairings – with a sweet-savory mix of grated apples, onion, and curry.
Notes: The hash calls for a very tart green apple, such as Granny Smith, Rhode Island Greening, or Roxbury Russet. Applewood-smoked bacon is ideal for this dish, but any thick-cut bacon will work well. Medjool dates are available at most supermarkets and Whole Foods stores.
Equipment: 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan; 12 toothpicks; mandoline (optional)
Yield:
6 servingsFor the Dates
Ingredients
12 slices thick-cut bacon (see Notes)
¼ cup fresh goat cheese
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
12 Medjool dates, pitted (see Notes)
Instructions
Prep the dates: In the skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until just beginning to brown around the edges but still pink and soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese and rosemary.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Stuff a bit of cheese mixture into each date, then wrap each one with a bacon slice and secure with a toothpick. Set aside.
Next, make the hash.
For the Hash
Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped white onion
4 large firm-tart apples (about 2 pounds total; see Notes) peeled, cored, and cut into matchsticks using a knife or mandoline
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the hash: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the apples to the pan and cook until they are limp, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, chives, salt, and pepper, then stir and let sit over low heat.
Bake the dates until the bacon is fully cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the toothpicks. Divide the hash among six plates, then top with dates, two per plate.
