Make a date with dates this Valentine’s Day

I always think dates are full of mystery and magic. Plump and juicy, this ancient fruit has a history that dates back centuries. Many years ago, I flew down to San Diego to drive to Arizona and visit the famous Bard Valley, where I saw first-hand the famous groves with rows upon majestic rows of palm trees, all  bearing the weight of the Medjool date – called the “king” of fruits. Medjool dates are big, soft, plump, with a meaty sweetness that works in all sorts of dishes.

And I can still remember biting into a just-plucked date, still warm from the sun, its texture soft and chewy.

The date came from one of the famous “mother” trees that dotted the groves – trees full of age and history. There’s a certain reverence and something quite mystical about those mother trees, and the roles they play in the production of this delicate fruit.

That adventure – and that taste! – has stayed with me for years.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

Dates are naturally sweet yet fat, cholesterol and gluten-free. They’re also a good source of fibre, iron and potassium – I call these the sexy elements that can bring on all those feelings of love and pleasure.

Medjool date flavours go from honey-like richness to brown-sugary sweetness, with hints of caramel and the subtlest traces of cinnamon.

This Valentine’s Day, don’t make dinner reservations – make dinner! And consider the following recipes courtesy of award-winning chef and cookbook author Anna Olson, who recently launched her latest cookbook, Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom (appetite by Random House). Olson recently partnered with Medjool Dates (naturaldelights.com) to offer up the following recipes.

1. Making reservations for romance this Valentine’s Day

2. The pride of Team Canada during the recent Bocuse d’Or culinary competition

3. It’s that time of year when you want to make room for mushrooms

Roasted Chicken with Date Mole Sauce

Ancho chili peppers offer flavour without much heat, and chipotle peppers add a smoky, spicy kick. Serves 4-6.

Date Mole Sauce:

Boiling water

2 dried ancho chili peppers

2 cups tinned diced tomatoes

2 small fresh corn tortillas (or 1 cup corn tortilla chips)

1 large cooking onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3/4 cup chopped, pitted dates

3 Tbsp. chipotle peppers (chopped peppers and sauce combined)

2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

2 oz. bittersweet or unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Salt & pepper

1-3/4 lb. whole chicken, cut into pieces

Cooked basmati rice, sour cream, chopped fresh coriander, lime wedges and extra corn tortillas, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mole sauce: Pour boiling water on top of ancho chilis in a bowl and let this sit until cooled to room temperature. Remove and discard stems of peppers. Add peppers along with remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor and purée until well combined (sauce does not need to be smooth). Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Pour half of sauce in bottom of a large roasting pan. Arrange chicken pieces over sauce in a single layer and with skin-side up. Season lightly and pour remaining sauce overtop. Bake chicken uncovered until chicken is fully cooked, 45 to 60 minutes.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice, with sour cream, coriander leaves and lime on side; use corn tortillas to dip into sauce.

Chewy Ginger and Date Cookies

Make a date with this flavourful cookie! Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fancy molasses

1 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger

1 large egg

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. fine salt

1-1/2 cups chopped, pitted dates

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

Cream butter and brown sugar together by hand in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Stir in molasses and ginger, followed by egg. Sift flour, ginger, 1 tsp. of cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl. Add dates, oats and stir to break up  date pieces. Add flour to butter mixture and stir until dough is evenly combined.

Scoop spoonfuls of dough (about 2 Tbsp.) and shape into a ball. Stir granulated sugar and remaining 1 tsp. of cinnamon in a shallow dish. Roll each cookie into sugar and place onto a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving 2-inches between cookies. Bake cookies for about 12 minutes until they brown around edges a little. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Cookies will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container or can be frozen for up to three months.

Dates and Spice Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This rich chocolate cake is perfect for first dates, or to rekindle the romance – a little cinnamon and cayenne give a subtle spice flavour that plays wonderfully against the not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting. Makes one 2-layer, 8-inch  cake.

Cake:

1-1/2 cups dates, pitted

2 oz (60 g) dark baking chocolate, chopped

1 tsp. baking soda

1-1/3 cups boiling water

1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. fine salt

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Frosting:

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

Place dates, chocolate and baking soda in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over dates and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to soak. Pour everything, including liquid, into a food processor (or use an immersion blender) and purée until smooth.

Cream butter and brown sugar together by hand until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition (you may wish to switch to a whisk). Add dates mixture and whisk in.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and cayenne into bowl and whisk until well combined. Divide batter between two pans and tap pans. Bake for about 35 minutes until a tester inserted in centre of a cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in their pans on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then tip cakes out of the pan to cool completely.

Frosting: Beat butter and icing sugar together using electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes until fluffy and frosting holds its shape well.

Assemble: Place one cake layer onto a plate or platter and spread or pipe half of frosting onto top of cake. Place second cake layer on top and repeat with remaining frosting. Chill cake uncovered until ready to serve.

Cake will keep, loosely wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days.