Fancy Dates
Fancy Dates are stuffed with tangy goat cheese, topped with pickled shallots, drizzled with rich pomegranate syrup, sprinkled with fresh herbs and then that crunch. That unexpected, crispy crunchy gluten free quinoa that has been transformed into an unrecognizable baked delight. Just a few ingredients, treated in simple ways to enhance their natural flavors. Most of this can be made days in advance, then brought together for an impressive appetizer.
Pickle the Shallots
If you have a 2 cup pyrex measuring glass, this can be simplified by heating the water, salt and sugar together in the microwave in intervals, stirring between until they dissolve. Then add the vinegar and shallots. Stir and push the shallots below the brine to make sure that they are covered well. Then set aside to cool at room temp or store covered in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the Quinoa Crunchy
Begin by cooking the quinoa in chicken or vegetable stock, olive oil and salt. These ingredients are essential in providing flavor as well as fat to make the quinoa properly crispy. Without the oil, they will become hard, but not crispy. Once the quinoa has been cooked and seasoned, it is baked to make it toasty, crispy and crunchy. This can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container at room temp. Leftovers are great on ice cream and in yogurt, so I usually make a larger batch so that we can enjoy the leftovers.
Stuff the Dates
This part is simple and straightforward. Split the pitted Medjool dates and spoon small amounts of goat cheese into each date. Once they are all stuffed, cover with plastic and pop in the fridge until you are ready to plate it up.
Make the Pomegranate Syrup
Combine the pomegranate juice with the sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Allow it to continue to boil until it has reduced in half. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temp. It will thicken quickly as it cools. The pomegranate syrup can be made several days in advance and stored at room temp in a sealed container.
Make the Fancy Dates
Scatter the quinoa crunch generously on the serving platter, then lay out the stuffed dates. Top each date with a bit of pickled shallot. Drizzle the whole platter with the pomegranate syrup. Then a final sprinkle of freshly chopped chives or thyme leaves and you are ready to enjoy.
More Gluten Free Starters
- Sweet Heat Deviled Eggs
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
- Chickpea Fritters
- Maple Glazed Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
- Crazy Good Crab Cakes
- Pistachio & Pesto Lamb Chops
Fancy Dates
Ingredients
Pickled Shallots:
- ¼ cup water (boiling hot)
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 medium shallot (trimmed & thinly sliced)
Quinoa Crunch:
- ½ cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- pinch fine sea salt
- ¼ cup quinoa
Stuffed Dates:
- 12 oz pitted Medjool dates
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh chives or thyme leaves (finely chopped)
Pomegranate Syrup:
- 1 cup 100% pure pomegranate juice
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Pickled Shallots:
- Bring the water to a boil in a pyrex or other heat proof cup in the microwave.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt and sugar. Carefully pour the hot water on top and stir until both are dissolved.
- Add the vinegar and shallots, stirring to cover the shallots completely with the brine. Set aside to let it cool and pickle the shallots.
For the Quinoa Crunch:
- Bring chicken stock, olive oil and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, then turn the heat to low. Cover and let the quinoa cook through, about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a small sheet pan with parchment.
- Spread the cooked quinoa out in a thin layer on the sheet pan. Bake the quinoa for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice to brown evenly. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temp.
For the Stuffed Dates:
- Stuff the dates with a small spoonful of goat cheese, laying them out on a plate. If the date is large, split it in half. When all of the dates are stuffed with cheese, cover the plate with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge until really to plate it all up.
For the Pomegranate Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice and sugar and bring it to a boil. Let it continue to boil and reduce in half, then turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
To Plate the Dish:
- Plate the dish by spreading the crunchy quinoa on the serving platter. Place the goat cheese stuffed dates on top. Then add the pickled shallots to each date. Generously drizzle the pomegranate syrup on the platter. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and more crunchy quinoa if you’d like. Serve right away.
