Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates

Tapas. Who doesn't love tapas? They are dainty, little plates of deliciousness, and often greasiness. They can be hot or cold, savory or sweet, and often bite size. Being that they are by definition small plates, you won't feel like a total gluttonous beast when you order plate after plate after plate...after plate. When eating tapas, my husband, without fail, goes for the patatas bravas and anything chorizo related. Big surprise there - a man likes meat and potatoes. My go-to tapas favorite (other than char-grilled octopus, of course) is prosciutto-wrapped dates. Sometimes the dates are stuffed with cheese, and sometimes they are stuffed with almonds; however, my favorite way to eat them is when they are simply prepared. Each date is wrapped in a slice of prosciutto and then broiled. You get the perfect sweet to salty ratio with these bad boys.

Outside of Spain, my favorite prosciutto-wrapped dates or any variation of that are from Chef Jose Andres' Jaleo in the DC area, The Spotted Pig in NYC (their dish is with prunes), Pipa in NYC, Ninth Door in Denver, The Port House in Dublin, Ireland (believe it!), and from my mom, of course. Some people like to order an assortment of tapas when they go out. I, on the other hand, order numerous servings of the same thing - dates. Just dates, be that wrapped in bacon, speck, prosciutto, or Serrano ham. I can't be bothered with meat and potatoes when prosciutto-wrapped dates are present, which makes my husband a very happy dining companion. Like when Emeril exclaims, "Another notch!" as he cooks, I manage to incoherently bark out in between bites of heavenly dates, "Another plate!"

To make these little treats, simply wrap each date in prosciutto and then broil them in the oven until browned, rotating as necessary. Munch on dates all on their own or throw them on a cheese plate for some extra flair! What are some of your favorite tapas?