Moroccan Chicken w/ Radicchio & Date Confit

Paired with La Posta Pizzella

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The savory and sweet appetizer is a festive match for the dark fruit and exotic spice of the Pizzella Malbec.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or 2 heads radicchio, cored and separated into leaves, washed and trimmed to uniform size
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger root
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced small
• Date Confit (see below)
• Fresh mint & cilantro, rough chop—for garnish Chopped pistachios, for garnish

Date Confit:

• 1 cup pitted soft Medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

TO PREPARE:

Wrap radicchio leaves in damp paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine ground chicken, ginger, garlic, paprika, coriander, cumin, lemon zest and sea salt; mix until well combined. Using a small scoop, form 2-inch patties and place on baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through.

Arrange radicchio leaves on a large platter. Place a chicken patty inside each leaf cup. Sprinkle with some of the chopped cucumber, a dollop of the date confit and a little of the chopped mint, cilantro and pistachios.
DATE CONFIT: Place dates in a bowl and cover with hot water; soak until very soft (about 30 minutes). Heat olive oil in medium sauté pan and add shallots and jalapeño. Cook over medium heat until soft (5 minutes). Drain dates and add to pan with molasses. Add enough water to reach a fairly loose but not runny consistency, breaking apart dates while stirring. Cook until the mixture resembles a thick sauce and cool slightly before garnishing chicken.

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