Grill a Sweet and Savory Treat
When the temperature heats up, we usually turn to the grill instead of heating up the house with the oven. However, outdoor cooking can be more elegant than simple hot dogs and hamburgers. Stuffed dates are a summer classic in our house. They’re easy to prepare and the perfect combination of sweet and salty! The best part is that they fit in just as well at a fancy summertime soiree as they do on your family’s dinner table.
We started making these delicious appetizers because we love NutsOnline’s moist, plump dates. You can really use any type of date for this project, but we suggest our pitted dates.They eliminate the extra work required to pop out the pits before stuffing the dates.
Slice each date along one side so that you can pry it open just a bit. Stuff the date with a bit of your favorite kind of cheese (we love cream cheese, gorgonzola and feta). Pop a roasted, salted nut into the center of the date. Roasted almonds and roasted pecans have a smoky flavor that pairs nicely with the fruit’s sweetness.
Close the date and wrap it in a thin slice of prosciutto or bacon. Thread it onto a thin metal skewer to keep the meat in place. Repeat the process until the rest of the dates have been stuffed and wrapped. You should be able to fit five to six dates on each skewer.
Heat the grill until you have a glowing, low fire. Place the skewers over fairly indirect heat and grill them on each side for two to three minutes. Remove them when the meat is crisp and the fruit is fragrant.
Serve the stuffed dates with fresh fruit, cheese and bread. Yummy!
Leave a Reply