A date for Valentine's Day
Regina Murphy
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Love it or not, Valentine’s day is here.
I can hear the nay sayers now: “It was a manufactured holiday to improve commerce,” but it’s still a sweet idea.
I know you all show your love to those you love on a daily basis, but being the woman I am I can’t resist the lure of a holiday dedicated to chocolate and kisses ... and chocolate kisses. Even if you don’t have a “date,” you can have a date!
The date palm, native to the Middle East, was mentioned in the bible as the “tree of life” and the word “date” is Greek for “finger.” Dates grow in large bunches which can weigh as much as 40 pounds; a mature tree will yield more than 1,000 dates each year.
In many countries dates are used like raisins and added to salads, couscous dishes and curries, but in North America they’re most commonly used in baked desserts and confections.
Because dates are very high in sugar, they can easily be converted into sugar. Arrange sliced dates on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until very dry and hard as rocks. Then grind them or process in a food processor to make your very own pure sugar.
Dates are an important traditional crop in Iraq, Arabia and north Africa west to Morocco and are mentioned in many places in the Quran. In Islamic countries, dates and yogurt or milk are a traditional first meal when the sun sets during Ramadan. Dates (especially Medjool and Deglet Noor) are also cultivated in southern California and Arizona in the United States, with Medjool being the most common.
Dates can be eaten straight or may be pitted and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, walnuts, candied citrus peel or cream cheese. Recent culinary innovations include chocolate-covered dates and sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a nonalcoholic version of champagne for special occasions and religious times such as Ramadan.
This lovely recipe is from Maizie J. Beals, our general manager’s mother. It was part of a cookbook published some time back by the American Legion Auxiliary and Blake Eyman found the cookbook and brought it by for a peek.
MAIZIE’S NO-BAKE
DATE FINGERS
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup finely cut dates
1 egg
1 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups Rice Krispies
coconut
powdered sugar
Mix sugar, margarine and dates in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Set off the stove to cool.
Beat together the egg, milk and vanilla. Stir this into the date mixture. Add the nuts and cereal. Chill.
Form into finger shapes, then roll in coconut and powdered sugar as desired.
This is from Thena L. Christian from that same cookbook, a very nice, moist cookie.
SOUR CREAM & DATE COOKIES
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and nutmeg, mixing well. Stir into the creamed mixture. Gently stir in dates and nuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto un-greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool about 5 minutes on cookie sheet and remove with spatula. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Blake shared another cookbook as well, this one from the Westminster Presbyterian Church way back when. (Why don’t they put publication dates in these things?) It’s titled “Holiday Recipes” and this one came from Nell Underwood, who lived in Emporia for many years with her physican-husband, Dr. Charles Underwood. I want to thank Maxine Mitchell for helping supply some background on the Underwoods!
DATE AND NUT CHEWS
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup syrup
1 cup dates, finely cut
1 cup chopped nutmeats
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
Place eggs in large bowl. Add salt and almond extract. Beat until light. Gradually beat in sugar and syrup. Add dates and nutmeats and mix well. Fold in sifted flour.
Pour into two greased 8-inch layer cake pans. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and while still hot, cut into 1-1/2 inch squares. Shape at once into small balls. Roll in confectioners sugar.
For extra flavor, sprinkle rum over balls before rolling in powdered sugar. These cookies keep remarkably well when stored in tightly covered box or jar.
Blake’s mother had several date pudding recipes in her collection, but this one was marked “very good.”
DATE PUDDING
1 cup dates chopped fine
1 tsp. soda — add following ingredients
1 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup nut meats
1 heaping cup flour
1 tsp, vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Sprinkle the soda over the dates in a casserole dish (or pudding mold). Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and bake one hour in a slow oven (about 350 degrees). You could serve this with a powdered sugar glaze and hot coffee.
If you’re not a huge pudding fan, try this bread. It’s great for breakfast when spread with cream cheese or butter. Try toasting it, too.
DATE NUT BREAD
1 cup boiling water
8 oz. dates, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
Grease a bread loaf pan. Pour boiling water over dates in a medium bowl; add butter and set aside. Beat sugars and egg until light. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the sugar mixture, alternating with the date and water mixture. Stir in chopped nuts.
Pour into loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Not all dates have to be sweet. Here are two savory recipes that are really tasty.
DATE SALAD
1/2 cup slivered dates
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1 cup mandarin orange slices, drained
1 small head butter lettuce
Toss everything together for an elegant salad, and serve with a light vinaigrette.
DATE AND BEEF CURRY
2 lbs. lean beef, cubed
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
4 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. flaked coconut
1 cup dates, chopped
1 tart apple, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
Dash of nutmeg
Dredge meat in flour and brown on all sides in hot oil. Add onions to skillet, sauté a few minutes but do not brown. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Decrease the amount of curry powder for a milder dish, or increase for a hotter one.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Serve with couscous and an assortment of pickled relishes, tamarind sauce and raita.
COUSCOUS
1 cup Moroccan couscous
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 tsp. cumin
1 small onion, diced
2 cups broth or water
salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in the olive oil in a pan with a lid. Add couscous, cumin and onion and stir to coat. Add warmed stock and salt and pepper as desired; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed (about five minutes). Fluff to separate.
If you have a Valentine’s date, now you have some recipes to make for them. If you don’t have a date, you have dates to keep you company. Enjoy!
It is time for Mardi Gras! I’ll have some great Louisiana recipes for you next week. I’ve been dwelling on the nice fish recipe from Prairie Meals and Memories the other week, so I’m putting out the call for fish recipes! Catfish, crappie, trout or bass: how do you like to cook your fish? Send me your best recipe at 517 Merchant St., or murphysmenu@yahoo.com. Let’s get cooking!