Name: Katy's Dates with Ancho Chili Oil
Yield: Makes 20 or 30 stuffed dates
Ingredients: 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder; 1/2 cup minced walnuts; 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon grated orange zest; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 10 Medjool dates, cut in halves or thirds and pitted; 8 thin slices Serrano ham or prosciutto, cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips

Image may contain Food Pork Meal and Dish

Katy's Dates with Ancho Chili OilDavid Loftus and Andra Nelki

I first met Katy Sparks in the flesh at New York City's French Culinary Institute. We were both there to teach on a mentorship program, and since I was already wild about the food at her restaurant, Quilty's, I made a beeline for her and insisted we become friends and spend lots of time eating together. For fun, Katy and I have given several cooking classes working as a duet; she made these dates at our first class together. They are just the kind of thing I find irresistible — sweet, crunchy, juicy, spicy — you name it, they've got it. Once you have the ingredients, they're very easy to put together.

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

16 Ways to Cook With Chile Oil
Whether homemade or store-bought, chile oil will add a welcome hit of heat and flavor to almost anything you cook.

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Crispy Salmon With Avocado Sauce

You’ll want to put this creamy (but dairy-free) green sauce on everything and it’s particularly sublime under crispy-skinned salmon.

Recipe notes

16 Ways to Cook With Chile Oil