This is not so much a recipe as an idea for a super duper easy festive season snackie treat. We all know devils on horseback – stoned prunes wrapped in bacon and baked. They are so ridiculously simple to make and always such a treat. With devils on horseback firmly in mind, I decided to have a bit of festive fun.
I replaced the prunes with fresh dates because I thought the honeyed, caramel richness of dates would find a stunning savoury counterfoil in the peppered bacon that I spotted at Woolworths and just could not resist. I also cannot resist their herbed pork bangers containing sage, so into the basket a packet of those went. Back home I squeezed out the meat and rolled tiny meatballs. The ‘devils and balls’ get threaded onto skewers along with sage leaves and under a hot grill or the braai they go.
Crack open a bottle of bubbly with a few of these devils on horseback pork pops and… “Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light. From now on your troubles will be out of sight…” Chat again in the New Year folks. Wishing you all the very best.
All you need is…
fresh dates
pork bangers, either plain or herbed
bacon (or pancetta if your Christmas bonus was big)
sage leaves
vegetable oil
Squeeze the meat out of the banger casings. Wet your hands slightly and roll tablespoons of the mixture into tiny meatballs. Stone the dates. Slice each piece of bacon in half lengthways and wrap around dates. Thread onto skewers interspersed with sage leaves. (If you use wooden skewers soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand.) Brush with vegetable oil and place under a hot grill or on the braai. Turn frequently until golden brown and cooked through.
serves
a crowd
prep
20 min
braai
10-15 min
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