Everything works in harmony in this recipe, from the olive oil that lightly caramelises the dates, which then pair perfectly with bitter dark chocolate and a pinch of flaky sea salt. I allow three dates per person.
INGREDIENTS
large, pitted Medjool dates
dark chocolate, 80 per cent cocoa
fruity olive oil
flaky sea salt
crème fraîche
METHOD
Open each date where the stone was removed and fill with a piece of chocolate. Gently pinch the edges together to seal so the chocolate won’t leak out when heated.
Put a thin layer of olive oil and the dates in a sauté pan over a very low heat. Cook, turning the dates to lightly caramelise on all sides, about 1½ minutes. They will quickly burn if the heat is too high.
Place on a serving platter and drizzle over the oil from the pan. Leave for at least 10 minutes then top each one with a pinch of sea salt. Serve with crème fraîche for dolloping on top. Make as many as you need.
Cook's note: After putting the leftover dates in the fridge, I discovered I loved them as much chilled as warm.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.