Yasemin's Kitchen

Mediterranean Recipes with a Turkish Flair

Stuffed Dates

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                           Stuffed Dates

Here’s a sinfully decadent vegan dessert that is healthy at the same time.
Looks delicious and is always a party favorite as an appetizer.
It is very easy to make, no baking or cooking involved.

Ingredients:

  • 25 Medjool dates, pitted, halved
  • ½ cup almond butter (cashew butter, hazelnut butter, peanut butter, or any combination of mixed nut butter can be used in place of almond butter)
  • 1/3 cup pistachio meat, coarsely chopped

Directions:

  1. Cut pitted dates in half, set on a clean surface.
  2. Using a knife, spread almond butter on the dates, mostly filling the small crevice in the middle, about ½ teaspoon on each piece.
  3. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on stuffed dates
  4. Place stuffed dates on a serving plate, enjoy!

You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week. For best flavor, make sure you let it come to room temperature before serving.

Dates halved and pitted

 

Dates stuffed with almond butter

 

Sprinkle pistachio meat on stuffed dates

Variation: Dates stuffed with sesame paste (tahini) and topped with walnuts:

Dates Stuffed with Sesame Paste and Walnuts

Ingredients:

  • 25 Medjool dates, pitted, halved
  • 1/4 cup sesame paste (Tahini). This is sold in Middle Eastern grocery stores. It is most commonly used for making hummus.
  • 25 pieces of walnut halves or quarters

Directions:

  1. Cut dates in half, remove the pits, set on a clean surface.
  2. Using a knife, spread sesame paste (tahini) on the dates, mostly filling the small crevice in the middle. Do not use too much for it will run on the sides of the dates
  3. Place walnut halves (or quarters) on stuffed dates
  4. Place stuffed dates on a serving plate. Cover with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes allowing it to set.
  5. Remove from the refrigerator when ready to serve. Enjoy!

Dates stuffed with sesame paste (Tahini)

Top the stuffed dates with walnut halves

Assorted Stuffed Dates

Rainbow Fruit Tower

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Rainbow Fruit Tower

 

Here’s a refreshing fruit dessert that looks appetizing and tastes heavenly.
It is easy to make, easy to serve. It makes a great breakfast/brunch dessert as well.
I’m very thankful to Gonul hanim for this wonderful recipe. Enjoy!
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Apricot Jam – Kayisi Reçeli

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Apricot Jam
With their velvety skin, “melts in your mouth” taste and fantastic aroma, apricots are undoubtedly one of the delicacies of summer.
Apricot jam is great on bread for breakfast, but you can also use it as a refreshing fruit sauce over ice cream. Recipe below calls for 2 cups of sugar, but depending on how ripe or tart the fruit is, you may need to add more sugar to it.
Apricots
Ingredients:
  • 1 lb apricots
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
Wash apricots, remove pits and cut each one into 4 pieces. Place apricot in a bowl. Pour sugar over apricot. Leave for about 2 hours or overnight. Apricots will release their juices, forming a syrup. Place apricots with the syrup in a pot. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium heat. When it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and let it simmer. Remove any foam that might form on the top with a spoon. Take a small spoonful of the cooking mixture, place on a plate, let it cool and taste to see if it is sweet enough. Add sugar if necessary, stir gently. Cook until apricots are translucent and the syrup thickens, about 20 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. Place in a glass jar and keep in the refrigerator.
Apricots cut into pieces
Apricots covered with sugar
Apricots release their juices
Apricots cooking in their syrup
Apricot jam
 Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!

Fruit Salad with Nuts

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Fruit Salad with Nuts


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 mango, cubed
  • 1 orange, cubed
  • 3 small mandarin oranges
  • 1 cup strawberries, cut in quarters
  • 1 cup pomegranates, seeded
  • 1 apple, cubed
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2 table spoons Cointreau or similar orange liquor (optional)
  • ½ cup toasted sliced almonds

Directions:

Simply mix all ingredients except the toasted almonds. Transfer into serving dishes and top with toasted almonds as garnish. Enjoy!

Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!

Poached Pears with Walnuts, Apricots, Currants

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Poached Pears with Walnuts, Apricots and Currants
Ingredients:
       Poached Pears
  • 1 bottle of red wine
  • 1 + 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cinnamon sticks (canela)
  • 1 teaspoon cloves placed in a tea diffuser
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
  • 6 whole Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and hollowed
  • Parchment paper
      Stuffing

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dry currants
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
      Garnish:
  • Vanilla ice-cream (optional)
  • Sprigs of fresh mint
Directions:
Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until nuts are lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. Add chopped apricots and currants. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Add brown sugar and cook mixture, stirring constantly, 1 more minute. Remove from heat, let it cool. 

Chopped walnuts and apricots with currants
Stuffing made with roasted walnuts, apricots and currants

Wash pears. Cut a thin slice at the bottom of each pear so that it could stand on its bottom. Using a mellon baller core the pears removing seeds. 

Pears
Bottoms cut to provide a flat surface
Hollowed pears with seeds removed
Pears hollowed and peeled, ready to be cooked

 
Combine wine, 1 cup of sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks (canela), cloves and lemon zest in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add pears and 3 cups of boiling water. Place parchment paper over the pears to keep the them submerged in liquid. This way the color will be even all around the pears. Let it simmer over low heat until pears are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove pears, set aside let them cool to room temperature. 

Pears in liquid with sugar and spices
Parchment paper is used to submerge the pears in liquid
Pears cooked, ready to be stuffed

In a small pan combine 1 cup of the left over liquid. Add 1/2 cup sugar. Simmer on low stirring for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Set aside for garnishing.

Stuff the pears with the fruit and nut mixture. Pack tightly. There will be some stuffing left for garnishing.
Chill stuffed pears in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Stuffed Pear

To serve, place a pear in a serving dish. Drizzle some of the sauce over the pear, let it drip down to the plate. Place a scoop of vanilla ice-cream next to the pear. Sprinkle left over apricot/currant/walnut stuffing over the ice cream. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

 

Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!

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Yasemin Ari

I love cooking, especially cooking with friends and family.

I believe that some of the best conversations take place around the kitchen counter... [Read More]