A trio of starters

We had Grandma Judy and Pop-pop over for Christmas dinner. We went mostly with tried and true dishes: salmon with green beans on the side. But we also had a rice pilaf from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, which was very good. And we started with three appetizers, all of which are very different: spiced nuts, a fig and olive spread, and a plate of sweet and salty sautéed dates, which are a real surprise to everyone who tries them.

After we opened presents and Dylan got everyone to stop "yapping," the boys played a game of whist with Grandma and Pop-pop while Mom, Cassie, and I watched the first episode of season one of "The Great British Baking Show," which Tim recommended highly to me. It was good right up until I passed out. It was a long day.

The Union Square Café’s Bar Nuts

Adapted from The Union Square Café Cookbook (2009) by Danny Meyer & Michael Romano

1 pound assorted unsalted nuts, such as peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and pecans, and whole unpeeled almonds (I often use a bag of Trader Joe’s Fancy Raw Mixed Nuts)
½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ tablespoon dark brown sugar
½ tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (adjust the amount of salt if you're using a different brand/kind of salt)
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons (27 grams) sunflower or canola oil

    1. Place a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts out onto a 13-by-9-inch or larger baking sheet. Toast the nuts until they are fragrant and light golden brown, about 8–10 minutes. Watch carefully as they go from toasted to burnt quickly!
    2. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, sugar, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl or ramekin. When the nuts are done, transfer them to a medium bowl. Pour over the oil. Stir well with a big spoon until all of the nuts are coated with the oil. Sprinkle over the spice mixture, then toss well again.
    3. Serve warm, when the nuts will still be a little soft, or let them cool completely so they get their crunch back before serving. Makes about 4 cups.

Fig and Olive Spread

Adapted from Food52

115 grams dried figs (I used Trader Joe's Black Mission Figs)
70 grams (½ cup) pitted Kalamata olives
70 grams (½ cup) pitted, pimiento-stuffed green olives
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed

Mince the figs and olives finely, either by chopping them by hand or by pulsing them in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil, and fold in with a rubber spatula. Use a little more olive oil if needed to get the consistency you want. Serve with Crostini or crackers. Serves 8.

Sautéed Dates

Adapted from Renee Erickson via Food52 and Delancey by Molly Wizenberg (2014)

Good extra-virgin olive oil

Whole, unpitted Medjool dates

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon or fleur de sel

Place a heavy skillet, large enough to hold as many dates as you'd like to cook (about 4 or 5 per person as a starter), over medium heat. Pour in enough oil to lightly film the bottom of the pan. Fill the pan with dates, but don't crowd them too much. Cook, turning occasionally, just until the dates are warmed through. They burn easily, so watch them carefully. Pour the warm dates onto a serving plate with the oil from the pan. Sprinkle with the salt, and serve immediately.