Dates are commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern kitchens, but Americans mostly use them for holiday baking, Dana McCauley says, in Cooking Light magazine's November issue.
She points out that this rich fruit is, in fact, a delicious match with both sweet and savory dishes. As an example of a savory main dish with dates, she offers a saffron chicken recipe, in which North African staples including dates, garlic, onions, tomato juice and rice transform a simple supper dish into something special.
Saffron Chicken and Rice With Dates
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups tomato juice
6 whole pitted dates, quartered
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Lemon wedges, optional
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, and saute 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
Add onion, 1/8 teaspoon saffron, and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in reserved chicken, tomato juice and dates; cover. Reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes. Uncover; cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon saffron, 2 cups water and rice in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Serve the chicken mixture over rice mixture. Garnish with sliced green onions and lemon wedges, if desired.
Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information per serving: 273 calories, 3.5 grams fat and 38.6 grams carbohydrates.
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