Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 8 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces (about 1 cup) roasted piquillo peppers with any juices (or use any roasted red peppers)
  • 2 cups whole peeled canned tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 16 Medjool dates (pitted)
  • 8 ounces of fresh chorizo sausage (not cured), casings removed
  • 8 slices bacon

Method

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add garlic and shallots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add peppers and tomatoes and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the liquid in the sauce has mostly evaporated.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Let sauce cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and process until smooth.
  • Thin with warm water to reach desired consistency if necessary.
  • You want a thick sauce but not so thick that it mounds on the plate.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Stuff dates with chorizo, using about 1/2 tablespoon of chorizo per date.
  • Cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and wrap a slice around each date.
  • Place stuffed dates on a small baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, or until chorizo is cooked through.
  • Turn broiler to high and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, or until bacon is dark brown and crisp.
  • Spread sauce on each plate and place 3 dates on top.
  • Serve warm.