Recipes using dates that show they’re more than just a sweet snack

Over a year ago, Christian Reynoso pitched the idea to do a package of stories about his favorite fruit: dates. He would write about the history of the farms in Southern California, all the many varieties — way more than I knew of — and lots and lots of great recipes to use them with. As a date fanatic myself, I’ve been dreaming about that story for a while, and I’m so happy that it’s now published online. And the recipes? They’re even better than I could’ve hoped for.

Christian’s recipes are as diverse as all the varieties you can buy. On the savory side, he braises chicken parts in cinnamon-and-chile-spiked coconut milk, and then tops it with pieces of dates that roast on the chicken, turning into sticky, caramelized chunks that yield to the crisp chicken skin. There’s also a thick-cut pork chop, elegantly plated in hearty slabs that are covered in a quick beurre blanc sauce studded with almonds, herbs and chewy rings of dates.

A crunchy red cabbage slaw is enlivened with slices of salty preserved lemon and chunks of sweet dates that bring the salad into perfect balance. And an appetizer of warm dates, sauteed in olive oil that’s infused with za’atar and thyme and served with cold slabs of salty feta, is impossible to stop eating.

On the sweet side, Christian updates the classic date shake as a smoothie. The dates are blended with almond milk and more almonds for nutty richness, with banana and ice providing the thick texture you want while balancing the sweetness of the dates. And the classic lemon bar is improved tenfold with the addition of a layer of pureed dates, all sitting atop a crumbly shortbread-like crust made with tahini.

But my favorite applications are the simplest: a trio of soaked dates, which use, respectively, bitter cold-brew coffee, acidic natural wine, and chiles and orange peel to spike the dates with other flavors that give their sweetness something to play with. They’re all addictive to eat and show that very little needs to be done to such an already-perfect fruit.

Spiced Coconut Chicken with Dates, Cinnamon and Crispy Shallots

Dates get paired with their cousin coconut here in this deeply warming, slightly spicy chicken braise. Lime, cilantro and crispy shallots brighten and round out this dish that feels like a soft landing into fall after a long, hot summer. If you can’t find fried shallots in your store, crispy onions, such as French’s, will also work.
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Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes.

(Rebecca Peloquin / For The Times)

Sizzled Dates with Za’atar, Thyme and Feta

Za’atar, fresh thyme and lemon add brightness to the rich, caramelized dates, while feta adds a creamy, salty sharpness. Don’t skip the bread here, which you’ll need to mop up all the flavorful juices on the plate. This dish is ideal served as a cheese course or appetizer before a meal.
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Cook time: 15 minutes.

(Rebecca Peloquin / For The Times)

Pork Chops with Date Butter Sauce

Chopped dates, almonds, shallots and herbs get swirled together for a quick pan sauce that’s buttery, really nutty, crunchy and speckled with herbs. If you can find them, the drier, firmer Deglet Noor date holds up better than the soft Medjool date.
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Cook time: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling.

(Rebecca Peloquin / For The Times)

Red Cabbage and Date Salad with Preserved Lemon and Pistachios

Dates get the slaw/salad treatment here, adding slivers of sweet and soft to the crunch and savoriness of this dish. This goes great with pork chops, braised chicken or warm flatbread and labneh.
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Cook time: 15 minutes.

(Rebecca Peloquin / For The Times)

Date and Lemon Bars With Sesame

Creamy, sweet dates soothe out the lemon in these bars, while the tart lemon brightens up the dates. All this flavor hand-holding makes these bars perfect for snacking, a showy dessert or just a fun and tasty baking project.
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Cook time: 1 ½ hours, plus overnight cooling.

(Rebecca Peloquin / For The Times)