Fried dates wrapped in bacon are something that everyone should have. The first time I had these was on a trip to Washington, D.C. When I had them, I knew this was prime quiche material. I usually make double this recipe and have the dates for dinner or a snack if there are more than three people around. They disappear fast, so you’ll need to make sure the ones for the quiche are put away someplace safe.
Ingredients:
- 10 slices bacon
- 20 pitted dates
- 1 egg extra
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying (skip if your going to bake them)
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- 2 regular pie crusts or pastry crusts
Filling:
Cut bacon slices in half, width-wise. Wrap each date in bacon (securing the bacon with a toothpick makes it easier). Place dates on a baking sheet and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour or until you’re ready to fry them. This binds the bacon to date and firms bacon to allow better binding to flour.
Either preheat your oven to 350 or heat oil in a fryer to 350 (if you don’t have a fryer, you can do this in a skillet with a candy thermometer). This is good cooked either way, but the purist way is to fry them.
In small bowl, beat egg and milk. Roll each date in flour. Shake off excess flour and dip dates into beaten egg mixture. Remove and roll each date in bread crumbs. Drop dates into hot oil for 1-3 minutes until they’re golden or bake in oven on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes. Transfer dates to a plate lined with paper towels and drain. When cooled, quarter each piece and refrigerate till ready to make the quiche.
Apple Mustard Sauce
- 4 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider or dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon sweet cider
Combine ingredients and whisk until smooth. In small sauce pan, heat on high for 5 minutes while stirring to thicken mixture. Let cool and refrigerate till ready to assemble.
Final Assembly and Cooking:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix standard quiche base and add apple mustard sauce. Beat until fully mixed and fluffed. Place the bacon/date chunks into pie pans with your choice of crust. Pour in quiche mixture and cover with 1/2 cup of the shredded gruyere cheese on each pie. Bake for 45 minutes or till golden brown. Remove and pack it up for the rink, or serve it.