Rhubarb and medjool dates are an unexpected, but delicious pairing. Similar to a strawberry, the dates have a natural sweetness that rounds out the vegetable’s tartness (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable!). When roasting the rhubarb, take it just far enough so that it’s tender, but still holds its shape. The dates are carefully folded into the warm rhubarb after cooking so that they plump up from the residual heat, but don’t dry out in the oven. This knife-and-fork toast straddles the line between sweet and savory, making it a great choice for brunch. You’ll want to use a fruity olive oil here—something that compliments the dates and rhubarb and isn’t too grassy or bitter.
Roasted Rhubarb & Burrata Toast with Medjool Dates and Pistachios
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servingsRhubarb and medjool dates are an unexpected, but delicious pairing. Similar to a strawberry, the dates have a natural sweetness that rounds out the vegetable’s tartness (yes, rhubarb is a vegetable!). When roasting the rhubarb, take it just far enough so that it’s tender, but still holds its shape. The dates are carefully folded into the warm rhubarb after cooking so that they plump up from the residual heat, but don’t dry out in the oven. This knife-and-fork toast straddles the line between sweet and savory, making it a great choice for brunch. You’ll want to use a fruity olive oil here—something that compliments the dates and rhubarb and isn’t too grassy or bitter.
Ingredients
2 stalks rhubarb, cut into ½-inch lengths on the bias (about 2 cups)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 Teaspoon freshly grated orange zest, plus more for garnish
8 Rancho Meladuco medjool dates, pitted and sliced into coins (see Note)
6 Tablespoons fruity olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Two ¾-inch thick slices rustic bread
Two 4-ounce balls of burrata
Finely chopped roasted pistachios and flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small baking dish, toss the rhubarb with the granulated sugar and orange zest. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more, or until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. Remove from the oven and carefully stir in the sliced dates and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Loosely cover with foil and let cool while you prepare your toasts.
- In a medium skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil until shimmering. Cook the bread over moderately-high heat until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the bread to two small plates and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Spoon the roasted rhubarb and dates over the two pieces of fried bread. Top each with a ball of burrata and drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and flaky sea salt and finish with a little more freshly grated orange zest. If you’re sharing, cut the toasts in half. Enjoy!
- NOTE To cut your dates into coins, remove the pit from the top of the date with pliers or strong tweezers. Check out the Rancho Meladuco Instagram page for a quick video tutorial on how to do this.
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