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

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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.

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