Dates Stuffed with Meat in Silan and Pomegranate Sauce

So we were only a group of seven people for first night Rosh Hashana and  I wanted to make something different and beautiful to behold.   I chose to make these stuffed dates since dates are one of the simanim and it was both appropriate and special.

This is by no means the first time I have made stuffed fruits or vegetables. However, it is a fuss to make so I like to save it for special occasions. Certainly Rosh Hashana  qualifies as such.

Then to my pleasure I found baby multicolored peppers in the supermarket and said to myself hey this is the perfect opportunity to prepare both a fruit and vegetable stuffed with chopped meat.

Although I use the same stuffing in both the dates and the peppers they came out tasting totally different due to the sweetness and meatiness of the dates and the hint of sharpness in the peppers.

I cut each date open with a sharp knife removing the pits and checking carefully to make sure they are bug free. Then I chopped off the heads of the little peppers and cleaned them of their seeds, reserving the tops for decorative purposes.

You then prepare the stuffing/filling and stuff each date and pepper with a heaping teaspoon full of filling.

Take out a big deep frying pan and layer with  one layer both the dates and the peppers. You then drizzle with the sauces, cover and cook on low simmer till done. It is truly delicious as well as gorgeous eye appeal.

If you wish to make this for Passover, simply substitute the bread crumbs for approximately 3 tablespoons of matzo meal or potato starch.  These are a compliment to your guest since they can see you fussed for them!

Stuffed Dates and Baby Peppers

14 large and lovely madjoohl dates (those gorgeous meaty looking ones.  Regular dates just wish they were madjoohl !!)

10 baby peppers (they are so pretty!)

1/2 a kilo (1.1 pound) of chopped meat

1 egg

1/2 a cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

a splish of soy sauce (about 2 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon bbq sauce

pomegranate syrup

soy sauce

red wine, I actually prefer sweetish wine for this, melds well with the flavors

silan (date syrup, preferably unsweetened)

Take out a medium sized mixing bowl and combine the meat, egg, crumbs, onion, soy sauce (the splish), and bbq sauce.  Mix thoroughly.  Put aside.  Next, take out a good cutting board and line up your halved but left attached!, pitted, checked dates in a row as well as your head chopped off, deseeded peppers.  Save the tops!

Using a teaspoon, take rounded heaps of meat mixture and gently stuff the dates and as best you can, the peppers.  The openings on the peppers are a bit narrow, so I mounded them somewhat and it was fine.

Next, take out a deep, big frying pan and line the little critters up, filling the whole pan.

While they sit there in splendid array, gently pour some soy sauce into the bottom of the pan (not on top of the dates/peppers), enough to cover the bottom of the pan, approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup.  Don’t get crazy on me, you don’t want them insanely salty.

Next, drizzle the dates/peppers with the silan (I use a squeeze bottle, it’s great) and the pomegranate sauce (also a drizzle bottle).  Be generous but it’s a drizzle, not an avalanche.  Turn on the flame, lower to medium heat till the liquids start bubbling, add wine- approximately 1/2 a cup- and lower to low simmer.  Cover the pan, set timer for 30 minutes (but check after 25 and make sure they are not drying out).

The smells will drive you mad, inhale and enjoy and control yourself not to gobble them up, shame on you it’s for Shabbat/Chag! Well, maybe one to taste 🙃  They can be plated with 2 dates and 2 peppers – remember you saved the tops and use them to top the peppers for a beautiful presentation.  Also nice served on top of hot, fluffy rice.