chorizo stuffed dates with goat cheese pesto
While technically an appetizer, if you wanted to make a meal of dragging these chorizo-stuffed dates through goat cheese pesto I wouldn’t DREAM of standing in your way. I like to use fresh, uncured Spanish chorizo here, but Mexican chorizo is also delicious! Use whichever is available near you.
yield 16 stuffed dates
pesto
1/2 cup pine nuts or pecans
2 cups packed basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup flat parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
4 oz fresh goat cheese
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 garlic cloves
1/2 - 3/4 cup olive oil
riffing
swap any nuts or seeds that feel right to you
use mint, cilantro or arugula instead of parsley
instead of goat cheese, use feta, parmesan or manchego
replace pesto with marinara or Muhammara pepper dip
stuffed dates
16 medjool dates
4 oz fresh, uncured chorizo
8 thin slices of Serrano ham or Prosciutto
recipe prep
Preheat oven to 350F. Spread nuts on a small sheet pan and roast for 6-8 minutes or until deeply golden and fragrant (give the sheet pan a good shake halfway through). Allow nuts to cool. Leave oven on and reserve sheet tray for dates.
Blend basil, parsley, nuts, cheese, garlic, lemon juice and zest in a food processor until smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Taste and add salt as needed.
Halve pieces of Serrano ham lengthwise to create 16 long strips. Using a paring knife, slice dates open on one side from top to bottom (so they can open like a book) and pull out the pit. Stuff each date with a teaspoon of chorizo (a little more/less depending on the side of each individual date) so they are very full but can still almost close. Wrap each date in a piece of Serrano ham.
Place dates on a small baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and cook an additional 2 minutes, or until the ham is deeply browned and crisp.
Spread pesto generously on a platter or a large shallow bowl. Arrange dates on top and serve with little forks or toothpicks for dragging dates through the pesto. Or, serve on a plate with a bowl of pesto alongside.
