Tastiest little bites

I totally copied this from a restaurant in Chicago. Those of you whom know which restaurant, will also know why I had to recreate it, these create cravings....

Chorizo filled dates wrapped in bacon dipped in smoked paprika sauce. YUM! For those of you whom don't know I am not a big pork lover, but this just makes my mouth water.

Here is what you will need:

20 dates (make sure they feel softish not hard - this is important)
Good quality spanish fresh/raw (not cooked) chorizo sausage*
24 slices good quality smokey bacon strips
1 garlic clove
salt & pepper
pinch of sugar
3-4 bottled smoked and peeled parpika's (you could roast and then peel your own if you feel ambitious enough)
1 tinned tomato

1. Pre heat your oven to 170C. 
2. Rinse and half the paprika, place in a pan and add the tinned tomato, bring to a simmer. 
3. Chop the garlic finely and add to the paprika & tomatoes, season and add the pinch of salt. Allow to continue simmering for another couple minutes. 
4. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly. 
5. Slit the dates down the middle and take out the pits. Place on  an oven tray on top of baking paper. 
6. If you have bought chorizo sausages in casings, cut them open and digg out the meat. Put a small pinch into each date, make sure to squeeze in as much as you can without lots of meat 'popping out'. 
7. Now rap each date in bacon, you will only need 1 slice of bacon per date - I added extra bacon to the ingredients list as a precaution. 
8. Place your bundles of joy in the oven for about 20min. I left mine in slightly longer and they got what we call 'cajun', and a bit dry. Don't make the same mistake, these guys are best when soft and moist on the inside and the bacon crisp and slightly moist on the outside.
9. Blend the semi-cooled paprika/tomato sauce. Taste, season further if needed.

Lean back dip your date into the sauce and eat - bliss. 

For those of you that live in Amsterdam or the Hague, Marqt has some great chorizo sausage.