If you’ve been to my house at any point in recent years, you’ve likely had these dates. They take only slightly more effort to make than placing dates unadorned on a plate. And, there must be something unusually captivating about them because people always ask me how to make them. Someone in the comments called them date jerky, and that’s basically spot on.
I think the idea stems from a flight I took years ago from San Francisco to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I was sitting next to a young guy, dressed head to toe in hemp, on his way to a spiritual retreat. We started chatting, and he offered me a date from little plastic baggie. He proceeded to tell me the dates were an Ayurvedic staple for him on flights. Massaged with ghee, ginger, and saffron, they weren’t very appetizing in the plastic baggie, but they were a flavor revelation. In my version I soak saffron in a small amount of almond extract, and toss it with melted ghee (or olive oil) and dates. I usually opt out of the ginger. Place the dates in an oven-proof baking dish and broil just long enough for the insides of the dates to get unctuous and tacky. Long enough that the skins start caramelizing. Serve warm. They’re good as part of a cheese spread, or as a sweet bite at the end of a meal – simple with a bit of a wink.
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