Best Date Relish Recipes

GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH LEMON, SUMAC, AND DATE RELISH

Steps:

• Combine 9 cups water, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and coarse salt in large nonreactive pot. Stir until salt dissolves. Add hen halves and press to submerge. Refrigerate hens in brine, weighing down with heavy plate if needed, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• Whisk 1/2 cup lemon juice, oil, and sumac in medium bowl. Press in garlic cloves; season with pepper. Let dressing stand 15 minutes to thicken slightly, whisking occasionally.
• Drain hens. Pat dry with paper towels; arrange on large rimmed baking sheet. Using fingertips, loosen skin of breast meat on each hen half. Brush some dressing under skin onto breast meat of each hen; place lemon slice onto breast meat and pull skin over to cover. Brush hens all over with remaining dressing. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place hens, skin side up, on grill rack. Cover and grill until bottom sides are brown, about 8 minutes. Turn hens over; grill uncovered until skin sides brown, about 6 minutes. Continue to grill until hens are cooked through, turning occasionally, about 9 minutes longer. Transfer hens to platter. Serve with Date Relish.
• *Ground, dried, reddish-purple berries that grow wild throughout the Middle East; available at specialty foods stores and Middle Eastern markets.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH DATE AND CILANTRO RELISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 6-8 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and cook pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 140°F, 10-15 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing; set aside pan drippings.
• Toss dates, orange juice, reserved pan drippings, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spoon relish over pork and top with cilantro leaves.
• DO AHEAD: Relish (without pan drippings) can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Add pan drippings just before serving.

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.

ROASTED SQUASH WITH DATE RELISH AND PUMPKIN SEEDS

Steps:

• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°F. Spread out pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast on top rack, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, puffed, and aromatic, about 7 minutes. Toss pumpkin seeds on sheet with 1 teaspoon oil and a pinch of salt. Let cool on sheet; transfer to a work surface and coarsely chop. DO AHEAD: Pumpkin seeds can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Place squash, cut side down, on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove peel. Cut squash lengthwise into 3/4"-thick wedges. Place squash, 1/4 cup oil, and thyme in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Divide squash between 2 large rimmed baking sheets, cut side down, in a single layer.
• Roast squash, rotating sheets halfway through, until tender when pierced with a fork, 25-30 minutes; set aside.
• Mix remaining 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and parsley in a medium bowl. Season dressing with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice, if desired. Place dandelion greens in a large bowl; drizzle with 1 tablespoon dressing. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Add dates and Parmesan, if using, to remaining dressing in bowl for date relish.
• Arrange dandelion greens on a large platter; top with warm squash. Spoon date relish over; garnish with pumpkin seeds.

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.

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.

MACKEREL WITH DATE, AUBERGINE & PRESERVED LEMON RELISH

Steps:

• First, make the relish. Cut the stalks off the aubergines, then cut the flesh into 1cm cubes. Heat 1½ tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the aubergine in batches over a medium heat for 8-10 mins, or until softened and golden. You may need to add more oil. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add another ½ tbsp oil to the pan and fry the onion until softened and golden, about 10 mins. Tip in the tomato and cook for another 10 mins, or until collapsed, then add the garlic, chilli, cumin and ginger, and cook for 2 mins more. Return the aubergine to the pan, add the honey, the juice from the jar of preserved lemons and the dates. Season. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 mins, or until thick but not stiff - add a splash of water if you need to. Chop the preserved lemon - pulp as well as skin - discarding any seeds, then add half to the relish. Taste to see if you need more - it should be assertive, sweet and savoury. You may want more honey as well. Leave to cool, then stir in the mint.
• Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over a low heat until the seeds start to crackle and jump in the pan. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush to a coarse mixture. Add salt and pepper.
• Rub olive oil all over the mackerel fillets, then sprinkle them with the spice mix. Heat a frying pan or griddle pan and, when it's very hot, add the fish fillets, skin-side down. Cook for 2-3 mins. Turn them and cook for 2 mins more. Squeeze lemon juice all over the fillets and serve them with the relish. Serve with bulgur wheat or couscous and coriander, if you like.

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.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SWEET DATE RELISH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper and sear. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning to brown all on sides. 2. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 150 degrees in the thickest section of the meat. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. 3. Use the pan drippings from the skillet and stir together with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, dates, cilantro, and orange juice in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over the sliced pork to serve.