Creole Shrimp & Stone-Ground Grits with Andouille Sausage

Annually, our Easter weekend menu includes this classic southern dish. It reminds us of Charleston, South Carolina- a special place for our family.

I feel that we say this every year, but, this was our favorite version yet! It was extra fabulous because I used “unicorn grits” from Millers All Day in Charleston. 🙂 We ate the dish with roasted asparagus and green salad. Meyer Lemon Martini‘s and Orange Chiffon Easter Bunny Cake were also included in our feast.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Vallery Lomas. I modified the method and proportions. I forgot the scallion garnish- an issue that I have on holidays. Fantastic nonetheless.

Yield: Serves 6

For the Grits:

• 3 cups whole or reduced-fat milk (see Tip)
• 6 T unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp or sharp Cheddar (I used New Zealand Sharp Cheddar)

For the Shrimp:

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used tail-on 21-25 count shrimp)
• 2 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning (see Tip) (I used Slap Ya Mama)
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces Andouille sausage, diced (I used Aidells)
• 1 medium or large yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 green bell peppers, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 21 oz San Marzano tomatoes with juice (about 3/4 of a 28 oz can)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• hot sauce, for serving, optional
• 2 T thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

To Prepare the Grits:

1. Bring 3 cups water, milk, butter, salt, and grits to a simmer in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 25 to 30 minutes.
3. After the resting period, return the pot to low heat. (At this point, start preparing the shrimp.)
4. Intermittently, stir while the grits begin to thicken and become creamy, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add additional water a few tablespoons at a time if the grits thicken before they are cooked. When stirring, be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to prevent the grits from sticking and burning.
5. When the grits are done, remove from the heat and stir in the pepper and cheese.
6. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding up to an additional 1/2 teaspoon more salt, if desired.

To Prepare the Shrimp:

1. Pat the shrimp dry. Toss them in a medium bowl with the Creole seasoning; set aside.
2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I used a 14-inch stainless steel skillet.)
3. Add the diced sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until the fat has rendered and the sausage is crispy along the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Working in batches, add the shrimp and cook about 1 1/2 minutes each side, until cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to the plate with the sausage.
5. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
7. Add the tomatoes and stock, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon.
8. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Add shrimp and sausage and cook until hot, about 1 minute.
10. Turn off the heat and swirl in the sour cream. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding salt or pepper as needed.
11. Serve immediately, topped with the hot shrimp mixture. Finish with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired, and a sprinkling of scallions.

Tips:

1. For a more savory profile, prepare the grits in 6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock instead of water and milk.
2. If you don’t have Creole seasoning, you can combine 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne.

Blueberry & Meyer Lemon Breakfast Pastry

This beautiful breakfast pastry uses store-bought puff pastry as a shortcut. I loved the crushed dried blueberries sprinkled over the top.

I served this pastry as part of our Easter brunch along with my favorite brunch dish, Asparagus, Leek and Gruyere Quiche. We also had fruit and green salads, cheeses with crackers and warm bread, hummus with vegetables, nuts, and sliced kielbasa.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Anna Theoktisto. I modified the method and proportions. The combination of blueberries and lemon was bright and delicious.

The pastry is ideally served warm, but I made it a day in advance, refrigerated it overnight, and served it at room temperature. Still great. It could also be reheated prior to serving.

Yield: Two 5×12-inch Pastries (about 8 to 10 servings)

• 1 (18.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s)
• all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 5.2 ounces cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), at room temperature
• 5.2 ounces (about 1 1/3 cups) unsifted confectioners’ sugar
• freshly grated zest from one Meyer lemon
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 5 to 6 T blueberry preserves (I used Stonewall Kitchen)
• scant 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 T water
• 2 T whole milk
• 2 T whole freeze-dried blueberries, crushed

1. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest and juice with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high, until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Measure 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture into a separate medium bowl; set aside for icing.
4. Unroll thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. (I used a pastry mat instead.) Cut pastry in half lengthwise; place 1 pastry half on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with second roll of pastry on second baking sheet.
5. Divide remaining cream cheese mixture in half. Spoon one ration of the mixture in a 1 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down the middle of each pastry half on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a 1-inch border along short pastry edges.
6. Stir together preserves and cornstarch in a small bowl. Divide the mixture into fourths.
7. Spoon each ration of the preserves mixture evenly along the long edges of both cream cheese strips (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per side), leaving a 1-inch border on each long side.
8. Beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush border of topped pastry lightly with egg mixture; reserve remaining egg mixture.
9. Place remaining pastry half on top of filled pastry, pressing edges firmly to seal.
10. Chill until firm, about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. (I set my oven to true convection.)
11. Brush chilled pastry lightly with reserved egg mixture. Using a paring knife, cut 5 small (about 1-inch) slits on top of pastry.
12. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and evenly puffed, 40 minutes on convection or up to 45 minutes in a standard oven, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.
13. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let pastry cool 10 minutes.
14. Place freeze-dried blueberries in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.
15. Whisk milk into reserved 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture until smooth.
16. Drizzle icing over warm pastries, and sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried blueberries. Serve warm. (see Note)

Note: I waited for the pastries to cool to room temperature prior to drizzling with the icing. Once garnished, I wrapped them in plastic wrap and refrigerated them overnight. Pastry can be reheated or served at room temperature. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Shrimp & Grits with Garlicky Roasted Poblano-Jalapeño Sauce

Annually, we treat ourselves to Southern shrimp and grits over Easter weekend. This year, I served the special dish using purple “unicorn” grits from Millers All Day in Charleston, South Carolina. Festive!

This version was topped with a spicy and garlicky roasted poblano-jalapeño sauce which had a terrific balance with the rich, cheesy grits. The shrimp was also cooked in garlic oil. It was a great variation to try for the garlic and sauce lovers in my house. 🙂 The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Marc Meyer. I modified the method and proportions.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup whole milk 
• coarse salt 
• 1 cup stone-ground white grits (I used stone-ground unicorn grits)
• 2 ounces extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup) 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 jalapeño chile 
• 1 poblano chile
• 5 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced 
• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1/2 an orange)
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp, patted dry (I used 21-25 count per pound)

1. Place oven rack in the highest position and set to broil. Place the jalapeño and poblano chiles on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until blackened all over, about 3 minutes per side.
2. Remove from the oven and wrap in the foil. Allow to steam and cool for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins. Stem and seed the chiles.
3. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt. (I used an enameled cast iron pot.)
4. Whisk in the grits and cook over moderate heat, stirring often, until the grits are tender and very thick, about 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the milk, cheese, and butter. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. (I used about 1/2 tsp salt.) Cook for an additional 5 minutes, then keep warm.
6. In a small skillet, cook the garlic in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the garlic is softened and very lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a blender. Add the chiles and the orange juice and puree until smooth. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil and puree until creamy. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. (I used a Vitamix.)
8. Pat the shrimp dry and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of garlic oil. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Heat a very large skillet until very hot, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 45 seconds to 1 minute per side.
11. To serve, spoon the grits into bowls and top with sauce and shrimp. Serve additional sauce at the table.

Meyer Lemon & Orange Twist Bread

Happy Belated Easter! I made this elegant citrus twist bread for breakfast over Easter weekend. My daughter described it as similar to panettone but without the dried fruit. My son agreed but stated that this was much better. 🙂 It was very moist and tender.

This recipe was adapted from Food 52.com, contributed by Samantha Seneviratne. I used Meyer lemon zest and omitted the grapefruit zest. I also modified the method.

Because of the rise times, I prepared the dough through the first rise two days in advance and completed the second rise and baked it one day prior to serving. We ate it reheated- which was essential. The original recipe suggests sprinkling the top with confectioners’ sugar or drizzling it with glaze. I opted for the simple sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar but know it would also be delicious with the glaze. Lovely.

Yield: 8 servings

For the Dough:

• 1/3 cup warm whole milk (110°F) (I used whole milk)
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes

For the Filling and to Finish the Bread: 

• freshly grated orange zest from 3 to 4 oranges (about 3 tablespoons)
• freshly grated zest from 3 Meyer lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting, optional

To Make the Dough:

1. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, or a large bowl, combine the remaining sugar, flour, and salt.
3. With the mixer on low, add the yeast mixture, the egg, and the egg yolk, and mix until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, knead this mixture by hand on a clean work surface.) 
4. Add the butter, a bit at a time, and continue to mix or knead the dough until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, another 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky. If you’re doing this by hand, you can use a bench scraper to help scoop the dough up as you knead it. It may look like it’s never going to incorporate, but keep kneading and it will.
5. Once the dough is fully incorporated, gather it into a neat ball and place in a lightly greased bowl.
6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours. (I used a proofing oven.) After the dough has doubled, you can punch it down, wrap it well and refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days. (I refrigerated it overnight.)

To Make the Filling and to Finish the Bread:

1. In a small bowl, combine the citrus zest, sugar, and salt together using your fingers to release some of the citrus oils. Add the butter and mix until well combined. (I reserved the soft room-temperature butter and spread it over the rolled out dough instead.)
2. Tip the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead it once or twice to expel the air. Roll it out into an 8-inch by 17-inch rectangle.
3. Spread the filling evenly over the surface of the bread.
4. Starting from one of the long ends, roll the dough up into a tight coil. Pinch the ends to seal the roll.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise.
6. Transfer the two pieces of dough to a piece of parchment paper, cut sides up. Pinch the two pieces together at one end and then carefully twist the two pieces of dough together. Take care not to stretch the dough and to keep the cut sides up.
7. Coil the twist around to make a wreath and connect the ends, making sure to continue the twisting pattern.
8. Transfer the wreath, on the parchment, to a rimmed baking sheet. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise. (I used a proofing oven.) It could take up to 2 hours for the wreath to puff so it’s better to keep an eye on the dough rather than the clock. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks puffed and and it rises back slowly when you gently press it with your finger.
9. Towards the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 375°F, preferably on convection.
10. Carefully brush the wreath with the egg wash.
11. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 18 minutes, on convection, or up to 30 minutes in a standard oven. A thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the bread should register between 190°F and 200°F.
12. Transfer the wreath to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

Notes:

The twist bread can also be drizzled with a simple glaze of room temperature cream cheese mixed with some warm milk and confectioners’ sugar.

The bread can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

White Borscht

Before I was introduced to this recipe, I thought that borscht was always a deep red, beet-based soup. I now know that borscht means “sour.” The sour tang in this soup comes from soaking sourdough bread in the broth, puréeing it, and incorporating it into the finished soup, along with crème fraiche which is stirred in just prior to serving.

I made my first homemade borscht (the beet-based version) for Christmas Eve, and my husband purchased pierogies at a Polish store for the same meal. Luckily, I saw this recipe and he was also able to buy house-made garlic kielbasa for this soup. The quality of the kielbasa is very important because it is used to create the broth for the base of this soup.

This recipe is from The New York Times, contributed by Gabrielle Hamilton.  I followed the recipe closely, but may decrease the amount of butter next time- I’m not sure it was necessary! (but it was quite delicious 😉 ) It was a creamy, indulgent, and delicious upgrade of potato-leek soup. Fabulous cold-weather comfort food.

Yield: 5 quarts, Serves 10 to 12

• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds full horseshoe link of high-quality smoked kielbasa
• 5 fresh bay leaves
• 3 pounds leeks (6 long, lively leeks)
• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4)
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 1 large yellow onion, small-diced (about 2 cups)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt
• 1 (4-ounce) hunk of dense, very sour sourdough bread, crusts removed
• 1 full tablespoon finely ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 1 bunch fresh dill, woody stems removed, fronds minced

1. Cut kielbasa into 4 to 5 equal lengths, and cover in a pot with 3 quarts cold water and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then let gently boil for 25 minutes more until swollen and cooked through and beads of oil have formed.
2. Pull sausages from the now smoky and seasoned water, and set aside. Save that water!
3. While the kielbasa simmers, split leeks in half lengthwise, then soak and rinse in cold water to thoroughly remove all sand. Slice leeks into 3/8-inch half-moons from whites to dark greens, as far up as is viable.
4. Peel potatoes, trim all four sides to stabilize on the cutting board and trim both ends to “box” the potato. Save the scraps. Cut the boxes into large cubes, about 3/4-inch square.
5. In a sturdy soup pot (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven), melt 1 stick butter over low heat until foaming.
6. Stir in onion, garlic and a healthy pinch of salt, and let them sweat for a full 5 minutes until translucent.
7. Stir in remaining butter, the sliced leeks and another generous pinch of salt, then let sweat slowly over low heat for 8 minutes until moist, bright green and glossy.
8. Add potato scraps, the cube of bread and half the kielbasa boiling liquid. Let gently simmer 10 minutes while the potato scrap softens and the bread hunk becomes flabby and swollen. If you need to increase the heat to get a little simmer going, do so.
9. Meanwhile, slice kielbasa in half lengthwise. Place two pieces back into the soup pot as is, and then slice the remaining 6 pieces into very thin, 1/8-inch half-moons, and set aside.
10. Retrieve the soggy lump of sourdough bread with a slotted spoon, and don’t worry if you also get a few bits of leek or onion or whatever is floating in the soup when you pull it out. Also remove about 1 cup of liquid, and set aside.
11. Add potato cubes and the rest of the kielbasa liquid to the pot. Add another pinch of salt and half the black pepper. Let it come back to temperature, and then to simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes more.
12. Using either a stick blender or a traditional blender, purée the sodden hunk of bread until foamy, using half of the liquid you pulled in Step 10, if needed. (I used a Vitamix.) Stir this back into the soup pot once the potatoes are cooked through.
13. Slice the reserved kielbasa and return all of the kielbasa to the pot.
14. Whisk the crème fraîche with remaining 1/2 cup of the hot reserved liquid; stir mixture into the soup.
15. Stir in the chopped dill and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon pepper. Serve very hot.

Traditional Ukrainian Easter Bread Podil’ia Style (Podil’ska Paska)

Happy Belated Easter! We were very lucky to enjoy beautiful weather yesterday. 🙂

I like to bake new Easter breads to serve for our holiday breakfast. This year, I looked through my Ukrainian cookbook collection for a paska (Ukrainian Easter bread) recipe.

My mother-in-law has given me several Ukrainian cookbooks and there were many variations of paska to choose from- all quite different from one another depending upon the region of their origin. Traditionally, a paska or babka is an essential part of an Easter breakfast. Many are beautifully decorated with a cross, braid, or birds. This version is more of a cake, with batter, and did not have dough that could be used to decorate the top.

The recipe was adapted from Festive Ukrainian Cooking by Marta Pisetska Farley. According to the book, this paska recipe, from the northwest province of Podil’ia, is at least a hundred years old! It is a golden paska, reminiscent of the sun, and is similar to a sponge cake.  It was very rich and indulgent.

Yield: One 9 or 10-inch cake

• 1 cup dry white bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• zest of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 orange
• 10 large or extra-large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 T powdered sugar

1. Line the bottom and sides or a 9, 10 or 12-inch springform pan with parchment paper. (Because I used a 9-inch pan (smaller than the original recipe suggests), I cut 7-inch tall pieces of parchment paper to line the sides of the pan, buttered on the portion lining the walls of the pan and sprayed with cooking spray above the walls of the pan.)
2. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F, preferably on convection.
3. Sift the bread crumbs until fine, then sift again with the flour baking powder, and spices.
4. Add the grated lemon and orange zest.
5. Separate the eggs.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg yolks with the granulated sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes.
7. Add the vanilla and beat again.
8. Fold the bread crumb mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
9. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the batter until no white streaks can be seen.
10. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until set or a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. (I was afraid that the cake would fall if I checked it too early- and baked it for 1 hour.)
11. When fully baked, keep the cake in the oven with the door ajar, and allow to cool slowly. (The cake may fall slightly. Mine did!)
12. When cool, remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar. Serve.

Cinnamon-Date Sticky Buns with Vanilla Glaze

The photo of this special breakfast is on the cover of the April issue of Bon Appétit. I made it almost immediately after seeing the magazine! I really liked the idea of using dates in the filling to add a little bit of natural sweetness and fiber- and to reduce the amount of sugar. Yum.

This recipe is from Bon Appétit, contributed by Molly Baz, Sohla El-Waylly, and Sarah Jampel. It was included in an article titled, “Butter, Sugar, Flour, Magic: A Basically Guide to Better Baking.” There are a lot of other delicious treats included in the article. 🙂 I made the dough and the date filling the day before assembling and baking.

It would be a lovely breakfast to serve on Easter morning.

Yield: 9 sticky buns

For the Dough:

• 3/4 cup buttermilk or whole-milk plain yogurt
• 7 T vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4-oz (2 1/4 tsp) envelope active dry yeast
• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the Filling and Assembly:

• 1 cup (180 g) packed Medjool dates, halved, pitted
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 T vegetable oil, divided
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (83 g) Confectioners’ sugar
• 3 T buttermilk or plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

To Make the Dough:

1. Combine the buttermilk and 6 tablespoons of oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. (It won’t get smooth.) Heat in the microwave in three 10-second intervals until just about body temperature, or when it registers 98°F with an instant-read thermometer. (Alternatively, the mixture can be heated in a small saucepan on medium-low for about 1 minute.)
2. Whisk egg, brown sugar, and yeast in a liquid measuring cup to combine, then whisk in the buttermilk mixture.
3. Pulse the flour, baking soda, and salt in a food processor to combine.
4. With the motor running, stream in the buttermilk mixture. Process until about 80% of the dough comes together in a ball, about 2 minutes. (The mixture will look very wet at first, then the sides will begin to pull away.)
5. Using a bowl scraper or rubber spatula, scrape the dough onto an unfloured surface. (It will be wet and sticky.)
6. Knead, pushing it away from you, then pulling it back toward you, until a smooth ball forms, about 3 minutes. (You can lightly oil your hands if the dough is too sticky.) The dough will grow silkier, tighter, and easier to work with as you knead.
7. Roll out the dough into a rough 8-inch square.
8. Fold dough over onto itself to make and 8×4-inch rectangle, then flatten it slightly and fold over once more to make a 4-inch square.
9. Roll dough back out into an 8-inch square.
10. Repeat the folding process (Step 8); you will finish with a 4-inch square.
11. Pour remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into a medium bowl and add dough (still folded); turn to coat.
12. Cover bowl tightly and chill dough until doubled in volume, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. (I refrigerated my dough overnight.)

To Make the Filling and Assemble:

1. Place dates in a small bowl and pour in 1 1/2 cups hot water to cover. Let soak until softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Drain dates and transfer to a food processor; discard soaking liquid.
3. Add cinnamon, salt, and 2 tablespoons of oil.
4. Purée, scraping down sides as needed, until smooth, about 4 minutes. (You should have about 1/2 cup purée.)
5. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
6. Transfer dough to a clean, unfloured surface and roll out to an 8-inch square.
7. Fold in half into an 8×4-inch rectangle, then fold rectangle over itself to form a 4-inch square. If dough feels tough and uncooperative, let it sit for about 5 minutes to relax and try again.
8. Roll out dough into a 12-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick.
9. Dollop date purée all over. Using a small offset spatula, spread evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border without purée along edge farthest from you.
10. Sprinkle brown sugar over purée.
11. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up dough into a tight log.
12. Using a sharp serrated knife and long sawing motions, trim about 1/2-inch of dough from both ends. (These ends can be discarded, but I baked them in a separate small ramekin.)
13. Slice log crosswise into 3 sections, wiping knife clean between cuts.
14. Slice each section crosswise into 3 buns. (I used a ruler.) You should have 9 buns total that are each about 1-inch thick. Transfer buns to prepared pan as you go.
15. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a warm, dry spot. (I used plastic wrap so that I could monitor the rising process. I also placed the pan in a warming drawer.)
16. Let buns rise until they’re doubled in volume and spring back when poked, leaving only a small indentation, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the humidity and warmth of your kitchen.
17. Remove plastic wrap, if using, and cover pan with foil.
18. Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350°F, preferably on convection.
19. Bake buns, still covered, until puffed, pale, and mostly set, about 20 minutes. (I baked the small ramekin with the extra end pieces, covered with foil, at the same time.)
20. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes if you prefer a soft and squishy bun and up to 25 minutes for a more toasted bun. Let cool slightly. (I baked the small ramekin with the extra end pieces at this point for about 5 minutes- uncovered.)
21. Meanwhile, whisk powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla in a medium bowl to combine.
22. Brush glaze over warm buns and serve in skillet.

Do Ahead: Purée can be made 3 days ahead. Place in an airtight container, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.