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Ingredients
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Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Romesco Sauce
Method
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
- 1
Prep the dates
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top if available. Pat the pitted dates dry with a paper towel.
- 2
Stuff the dates
Using a small spoon or knife, open each pitted date slightly to create a pocket. Place about 1/4 oz (a tablespoon) of goat or cream cheese into each date, pressing gently to fill the cavity. Alternatively, place one whole almond inside each date then top with a small amount of cheese—either method yields a contrast of textures.
- 3
Wrap with bacon
Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise to yield 24 strips. Wrap one half-slice of bacon around each stuffed date, overlapping ends. Secure with a toothpick inserted through the center. If you like a sweet-salty finish, lightly roll the bacon-wrapped date in the 1/2 tsp of brown sugar (use remaining brown sugar for sprinkling larger batches).
- 4
Bake
Arrange the bacon-wrapped dates on the prepared wire rack or directly on the foil-lined sheet seam-side down with some space between. Bake 12–16 minutes, turning once halfway, until bacon is crisped to your liking and rendered of fat. For extra crispness, broil 1–2 minutes at the end while watching closely so it doesn't burn.
- 5
Drain and rest
Transfer cooked dates to a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess fat for 2–3 minutes. Remove toothpicks if desired, or leave them in for serving.
- 6
Serve
Arrange the bacon-wrapped dates on a platter and serve warm with the romesco sauce for dipping.
Romesco Sauce
- 7
Prepare bread
Tear the slice of stale bread into small pieces, place in a small bowl and add 1–2 tablespoons of water just to moisten. Let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze out excess water so bread is damp but not soggy.
- 8
Blend ingredients
In a food processor or blender combine the drained roasted red peppers, toasted almonds, roasted tomatoes, moistened bread, minced garlic, smoked paprika, sherry vinegar, and red pepper flakes (if using). Pulse until coarsely combined.
- 9
Emulsify
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until the sauce becomes smooth and emulsified but still has some texture. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- 10
Season
Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust acidity with a little more sherry vinegar if needed, or thin with a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil to reach a dipping consistency.
- 11
Rest
Transfer romesco to a serving bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15–30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. It can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving.
- 12
Serve
Spoon romesco sauce into a shallow dish for dipping and place alongside the warm bacon-wrapped dates.