Braised Stuffed Dates
This flavorful Eastern Mediterranean dish is a uniquely satisfying one pan meal. The Shawarma East blend brings out the sweet and savory fragrance of the sweet dates, briny olives, and meaty rice stuffing all served in a sauce of tomato and lentils.
Ingredients
- 20 large medjool dates
1 4oz package of shitake mushrooms, sauteed and coarsely chopped
½ pound ground beef (or beef alternative)
- 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed and soaked 1 hour, then drained well
- ¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
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1 tsp fine sea salt
-
½ tsp ground black pepper
-
1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 egg
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1 Tbsp Shawarma East blend
- -
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup pitted olives, chopped
- 1 cup lentil (green or brown), rinsed
- 1 14oz can tomato dice
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Shawarma East blend
For the Stuffing
For the Braise
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Split each date lengthwise to open a slit and remove the pits from the dates.
- In a bowl, add your choice of grounds, drained rice, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, egg, and Shawarma East blend. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the mixture into 20 equal sized balls.
- Open each date and wrap them around the balls of stuffing and press them together to keep the stuffing inside.
- In a large, heavy bottom skillet (see Recipe Notes below for the one we use), heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Cook the onions and olives for a few minutes to soften the onions.
- Add the salt, pepper, Shawarma East blend, lentils, tomato, and water. Increase the heat to HIGH and stir well to combine.
- Add the stuffed dates to the pan, open side up. Start from the outside of the pan and work inward.
- When the liquid starts to boil, cover the pan and transfer it to the oven to finish cooking.
- Cook for 20-30 minutes, rotating halfway or until the rice is tender.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Note
Recipe Notes
This is a great recipe to substitute chopped cooked mushrooms for the ground beef.
This is our famous blue pot that we use to make so many delicious dishes. It comes in other colors as well.
Questions? Contact helen@laboiteny.com
