MAKES: ABOUT 1 CUP • DIFFICULTY: easy
Drizzle this rich sauce over Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, your favorite roasted vegetables or grain dishes, salads, and fruits, such as watermelon or strawberries.
½ cup pitted dates
¾ cup warm water
½ cup balsamic vinegar
Soften the dates by soaking in warm water for about 10 minutes. In a blender, combine the dates and their soaking water with the balsamic vinegar. Blend until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low. Simmer on low until the glaze is reduced and thickened, stirring frequently.
Growing up, I never liked dates. I thought they were dry and kind of waxy. But then I discovered there were soft, plump, moist varieties that didn’t taste like the chalky ones I remembered. Bahri dates—my favorite—are wet and sticky, and when frozen, acquire the taste and chew of caramel candy. Dates are healthy, too: a 2009 study found that eating four to five dried dates per day may improve the antioxidant power of your bloodstream while bringing down triglyceride levels.103