Air Fryer Recipe
Chorizo-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon
These chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon are a treat for the senses, combining sweet, smoky, and savoury flavours in every bite. The air fryer is perfect for this dish, as it crisps the bacon while keeping the filling hot and juicy without the greasiness of traditional oven cooking.
Ingredients
- 12 large Medjool dates, about 220–260g, stones removed
- 90g cured Spanish chorizo, cut into 12 short batons, or 90g cooking chorizo, casing removed and divided into 12 small pieces
- 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, about 120–150g, halved crossways
- 1 tsp olive oil, only if using very lean bacon or if your air-fryer basket is prone to sticking
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or runny honey
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp smoked paprika, preferably sweet rather than hot
- Pinch of fine sea salt, optional and only if your bacon is mild
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to finish
- 12 wooden cocktail sticks, optional but useful for holding thinner bacon in place
- Optional dip: 80g Greek yoghurt mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice and a pinch of smoked paprika
Method
- Open each date along its natural slit and remove the stone, taking care not to cut the date fully in half.
- If the dates feel very dry, sit them in a bowl and cover with freshly boiled water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry.
- Cut the chorizo into pieces that fit inside the dates without forcing them open too wide.
- Stuff one piece of chorizo into each date and press the date closed around it.
- Stretch each half-rasher of streaky bacon gently with the back of a knife, then wrap it around a stuffed date with the seam underneath. Secure with a cocktail stick if needed.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C for 3 minutes.
- Arrange the dates seam-side down in a single layer, leaving at least 1cm between them.
- Air fry at 180°C for 6 minutes, then turn each date with tongs.
- Mix the maple syrup or honey with the vinegar, smoked paprika and a few grinds of black pepper. Brush a very thin layer over the exposed bacon after the first turn.
- Air fry for a further 4–6 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crisp at the edges and the chorizo fat is visibly bubbling in places.
- Rest the dates for 3 minutes on a plate lined with kitchen paper, then scatter with parsley and serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
