2007 Riverside County Fair

National Date Festival 
 

 

Apple Date Spice Cake

 

2 cups              All Purpose flour

1 ½ cups         Sugar

3 each             Eggs

1 cup               Sour Cream

1 tsp.              Vanilla Extract

1 tsp.              Salt

1 tsp.              Baking Soda

1 tsp.              Cinnamon

1 tsp.              Allspice

2 cups             Apples, peeled and finely chopped

1 cup               Walnuts, finely chopped

1 cup               Dole dates, finely chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

In small bowl, combine chopped dates with 2 tablespoons of flour until well coated.  Set aside. Mix eggs and sugar until light and pale yellow in color.  Add sour cream.  Add vanilla. 

 

In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.  Add apples, walnuts, and dates.  Mix by hand. 

 

Spray non-stick 13” x 9” pan with cooking spray and lightly flour.  Pour batter into pan and shake to evenly distribute.  Bake for 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool completely.  Cut into squares and serve.

 

 

Stuffed Pork Loin with Goat Cheese & Dates

 

2 Tbs.              Olive Oil

4 Cloves          Garlic, finely chopped

½ each            Roasted Red Bell Pepper, peeled and chopped

¼ cup              Dole Dates, finely chopped

¼ cup              Dried Apricots, finely chopped

¼ cup              Walnuts, finely chopped

2 sprigs            Fresh Thyme

1 Tbs.              Red Wine Vinegar

½ cup              Goat cheese

To taste           Salt & Pepper

1 each              Pork Tenderloin, trimmed

Butchers’ twine

 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in sauté pan, and sauté garlic for 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Add roasted bell pepper and sauté for one more minute.  Add dates and apricots and sauté until soft.  Add walnuts.  Add fresh thyme.  Add red wine vinegar to pan and scrap up all browned bits from pan.  Remove mix from pan and cool.

 

Cut two pieces of plastic wrap and lay pork loin between them.  Using a heavy mallet, pound out pork tenderloin until it is ¼” thick.  Try to make it as rectangular as possible.  In small bowl, mix sautéed items with goat cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Put goat cheese mix all the way down the center of the pork loin, and roll up like a sausage.  Tie with twine at ends and at center.

 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan till pan is smoking.  Sear pork loin on all sides until brown.  Put entire pan in 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes until cooked through.  Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.  Remove twine.  Slice and serve.