I usually end up in Chicago a couple times a year for work, but have been there religiously the past six springs for the Housewares Show. Four years ago, I met up with my cousin for dinner who was working as a food writer at the time for metromix.com. She took me to a place called Avec and introduced me to owner/chef, Paul Kahn. He told us we had to try the dates and who were we to disagree. The small plate in question were medjool dates stuffed with chorizo wrapped in bacon with a smoked pepper-tomato sauce. The sweetness of the dates mixed with the smokiness and heat of the sauce and sausage was such a wonderful combination – I was hooked. The next year I took Jamie with me on my annual spring trip and again went to Avec for the dates. It took some convincing for him to try a date, but once he saw it was wrapped in bacon, sold. When we got home, it became our mission to recreate those dates. And thanks to a lead from The Chicago Tribune, we’ve come pretty close. We go back to Avec every year, (Blackbird next door which is the same owner is good, too, but a bit pretentious) not just for the dates, but because it’s such a cool place with the best cheese and tapas menu. And now we make the Avec dates at all our dinner parties and have created date addicts in Cleveland. Locally, Flying Fig makes something similar as does Downtown 140 in Hudson. Both are delicious. Here’s our version of the Avec dates:
Medjool dates (split open and remove pit)
chorizo
bacon (i like hickory smoked)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz can petite diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt/pepper and brown sugar to taste (the sugar helps if it’s too spicy)
Stuff dates w/ chorizo and wrap with bacon. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, brown diced onion in olive oil and add garlic. Add tomatoes and spices. Cook on low heat for 10 – 15 minutes. Adjust spices, especially brown sugar and salt, as needed.
[...] we have company, I usually start off with a nice selection of cheese and salumi, or Avec dates (my staple appetizer). Sides and appetizers are among my favorite dishes to make. But today I cheated. Since I started [...]
[...] of the dates, here’s the version we regularly create at home. On this visit, we learned the dates are routinely made by a guy named George (since day 1) and for [...]