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Chicago Flashbacks - Avec Bacon Dates

Writer's picture: JulietJuliet

When I lived in Chicago during law school, budgets were tight (student loans and all), but a foodie has to eat, so luckily there were great mid-priced options. One of them, Avec, had these amazing small plates. My favorite was the bacon wrapped, chorizo stuffed dates that sat in an unctuous sauce that was hard to pin down the mystery flavor in. I was able to hunt down the recipe and recreated those delicious nights in Chicago.

 

Ingredients (Makes 24 dates, or six appetizer portions):

2 lbs Medjool dates

1 lb Spanish-style chorizo sausage [I couldn’t find so I used fully cooked mexican chorizo]

1 pkg (12 strips) good-quality bacon

2 jars piquillo peppers (most jars are around 7.6 ounces)

1 14.5-oz can good-quality tomatoes [I used Mutti]

Salt to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Using a paring knife, make a small slit in each of the dates, then push out the pit [Or, buy pitted dates like I did]. Fill each date with chorizo, but not so much that the meat is overflowing.

Slice the bacon strips in half crosswise to create two pieces out of each strip. Wrap each date tightly with one of the half-slice segments of bacon. Place on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes. Once the chorizo has cooked through (you can slice a date in half to test), crank up the temperature to broil and transfer the tray to the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp up the bacon, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. [Note: I cooked mine for about 50 min and the bacon was perfectly crisp without the broiler because of the rack]

While the dates are baking, make the sauce. Add the peppers and the tomatoes together in a medium saucepan and cook slowly over medium-low heat for the entire time the dates bake. Season with salt to taste, then puree the sauce until almost smooth but still with some body; think thin salsa texture. Warning: Do not try to use a handheld immersion blender...my wall still shows the aftermath! I switched to a full blender. Taste and adjust seasonings.


Once the bacon is crispy, divide the sauce among six plates and top with four dates each.

OMG this brought back memories. I haven't eaten at Avec since 2005, but I remember this taste like it was yesterday. I liked these drenched in sauce, but my husband prefers less sauciness (I know, I know - then why did he marry me?!) - you can plate however you see fit! I will be making these again - probably doubling it and "forcing" them down my family's throats as a Thanksgiving appetizer!

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