Pine Nut-Stuffed Medjool Dates

Of course I am always looking for things to do with pine nuts. These stuffed dates look like oblong little birds' nests and hit all the right sweet, crunchy, spicy, creamy, and herbal notes. I only buy a few of these dates at a time so that we can savor them and do something special like this with them.

Pine Nut-Stuffed Dates

5 Medjool dates

1/8 cup pine nuts

olive oil

Maldon salt

cracked black pepper

cayenne

thyme

manchego cheese

Cut dates in half lengthwise and open them up so they're flatter. Toast pine nuts in an olive-oil coated pan on medium heat; stir often so that they brown but don't burn. Add salt and pepper to them and stuff them in the dates. Add a silver of manchego and a couple of small thyme leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a tiny bit of cayenne. You may warm them in a 325 degree oven for minutes or two in order to melt the cheese or have them as is.