Date Relish Recipes

DATE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown at edges, 3 minutes. Add mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until beginning to pop, 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 6 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

DATE RELISH

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except habanero chile in medium bowl; toss to blend. Add chile to taste. Season relish to taste with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

ONION DATE RELISH

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet cook the onions in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until they are softened, add the garlic, the gingerroot, and the salt, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine, 1/2 cup of the vinegar, and the peppers and cook the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is evaporated. In a food processor combine the onion mixture with the dates and pulse the motor 3 or 4 times. Add the additional vinegar and pulse the motor 2 or 3 times, or until the mixture is combined well but still chunky. The relish keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week. Serve the relish with grilled pork or chicken or with mild cheese and crackers.

CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH DATES AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Simmer water, sugar, zest, juice, vinegar, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, 3 minutes. Add half of dates and half of cranberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to burst, about 7 minutes. Stir in remaining dates and cranberries and simmer until remaining cranberries begin to burst, about 7 minutes more. Serve at room temperature.

RHUBARB & DATE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Put the onions in a large pan with the ginger and vinegar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the rhubarb, plus 2 tsp salt to the pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 mins until the apples are tender.
• Stir in the rhubarb and cook, uncovered, until the chutney is thick and jammy, about 15-20 mins. Leave the chutney to sit for about 10-15 mins, then spoon into warm, clean jars, and seal. Label the jars when cool. Keep for at least a month before eating.

CILANTRO-DATE CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Place cumin in a small skillet and set over medium-high heat. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, or until seeds just begin to change color and emit a faint aroma. Immediately dump seeds into a spice grinder or mortar, and grind to a powder.
• Place dates, lime juice, jalapeños, ginger, garlic, salt and cumin into the bowl of a food processor and pulse, stopping periodically to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Try to get this mixture as uniformly puréed as possible, though a little texture is fine.
• Add the cilantro and continue to pulse to break it down. Then, add as little water as possible - about a tablespoon - to get the blades moving and turn the mixture into the sauce. Continue scraping the sides and pulsing until no large bits of stem or leaf remain and the sauce is a lovely, almost-but-not-quite-smooth texture. Taste, and add lime juice and salt as needed. Cover and refrigerate until serving. This sauce will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

PINEAPPLE & DATE RELISH

Steps:

• Dry-roast the seeds in a small pan until they start to smell fragrant. Tip into a mortar and crush with a pestle until the seeds are broken down but not powdery.
• Peel, quarter and core the pineapple. Cut into rough chunks, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until cut into smaller pieces. Tip into a preserving pan or large heavy-based saucepan. Use the processor to do the same to the onions, then the peppers. Tip the vegetables into the pan along with the roasted spices, vinegar, chilli flakes and 2 tsp salt.
• Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add the sugar and dates, and return to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for a further 15-20 mins, uncovered, until the mixture is softened but still has a bit of crunch. (Take care when tasting the relish as it will be very hot.)
• Meanwhile, wash your jars in hot soapy water and rinse well. Place upright in a roasting tin and put in the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3 for 15 mins. Boil the lids (which must be vinegar-proof) for 5 mins, then leave to dry. Remove the jars from the oven and set on a board. Fill the jars and screw on the lids. Label and store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, or sterilise (see tip, below) and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.

SHEET-PAN CHICKEN WITH SQUASH AND DATES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine squash and chickpeas with 3 tablespoons oil; season well with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread in an even layer. Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange on top, skin-side up. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir in dates, and roast until squash is golden and chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.
• While the mixture roasts, in a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup oil with the olives, parsley, capers and caper brine, and lemon juice. Season the olive relish with salt and pepper, then set aside.
• Divide the roasted chicken, squash, dates and chickpeas among plates. Stir any pan juices into the relish, then spoon the relish on top of each serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

RAW CRANBERRY DATE RELISH WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Using a large, sharp knife, dice the dates and crystallized ginger into small, uniform dice. Thinly slice the scallions and then mince them finely.
• Put the cranberries in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until they are in rough pieces. Add the honey, lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, fresh ginger, salt, and pepper and continue to pulse until finely diced. Add the dates, crystalized ginger, and scallions and pulse once or twice to combine.
• Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend thoroughly. Serve at room temperature.