Treat of the Week Winner: Bacon Wrapped Dates

Bacon Wrapped Dates by Ellen Boss Krohn thanks to Solera Restaurant

Medjool Dates (pit in or pitted)
1 # soft goats cheese
1/4 Cup herbs (thyme, parsley, cilantro, chives)
1 # bacon (we use all natural organic meats from MN farmers at Solera, Linden Hills Coop has this available)
Toothpicks

-If your dates have pits in them you will need to slice them in half lengthwise and remove the pit, if you can buy them without pits and halved that will save you some prep time. If you cannot find medjool other dates will work just fine.

-pick your thyme, remove stems from parsley, remove stems from cilantro ( you don't want to CHOP your herbs because you will bruise them . . . you can tell when they start leaching liquid around the edges and turn a dark green color . . . . you want to gently chiffonad them until they are finely minced

-place your goats cheese and herbs together and mix until well incorporated, add a pinch of sea salt

-take about 1/2 a teaspoon of the goats cheese mixture and mold it into the date, you don't want to overstuff it otherwise it will negatively affect the cooking procedure. Stuff all your dates 

-cut your bacon in half and roll the dates in the bacon and then secure with a toothpick

-deep fry the dates until the bacon is just crispy . . . . if you have over stuffed the dates the cheese will start to melt out

-once out of the fryer, toss in an acid vinaigrette and a little bit of chives or parsley then eat . . .can be eaten at room temp as well, it won't hurt them to sit out a little bit.