Stuffed dates

Stuffed dates, known in Arabic as tamer mahshe and in Hebrew as tamar memouleh, are boiled or heated dates filled with a savoury stuffing of meat, mint and parsley. The dish is popular in the Levant, where it is served on rice or bulgur. Across the Middle East and North Africa the filling varies widely and can include nuts, candied fruit, tahini or cheese, and modern versions use richer stuffings such as butter and goat cheese. Cooks may use fresh or dried dates, and the dish shows the long regional habit of pairing the sweetness of the fruit with salty or savoury fillings. Related stuffed-date preparations exist elsewhere, such as the bacon-wrapped devils on horseback.