March 15th, 2015

Fried Green Tomatoes, Love Them!, Fried Green Tomato, Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack, Merryman’s Green Tomato Pickle, Recipes, Restaurants Serving Fried Green Tomatoes, Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, Delaware Beaches, Cape Charles, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, It’s All About Green Tomatoes

I am crushed that Fried Green Tomatoes…..not a Southern dish.  That they, apparently, entered the American culinary scene in the Northeast and Midwest, with a link to Jewish immigrants.  I love them and when I see them on menus, I do order them.  Having been in Charleston, I tasted them everywhere I could.  But, let me tell you that, here, at the Delaware Beaches, we have some pretty awesome ones served at our local restaurants.

Looking forward to my fig tree this year.  Not just to eat figs off the tree but to also prepare my Fried Green Tomato, Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack….It is my own recipe; not begged, borrowed, or stolen.  You can get the recipe by clicking on the month of August of 2013 on the archives of AboutMyBeaches and scrolling down to the 11th.

In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware:

FINS ALE HOUSE & RAW BAR on Coastal Highway.  I just had these the other day.  They were delicious and hopefully, they will keep them on the menu.

BLUE MOON located on Baltimore Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach.  This is a signature appetizer.  The fried green tomatoes are served with herbed sheep’s cheese, onion, compote, pesto and a balsamic drizzle.  Definitely, a blending of flavors.

In Bethany Beach, Delaware:

PATSY’S RESTAURANT in Downtown Bethany Beach.  Her fried green tomatoes are topped with roasted red pepper/Vermont cheddar cheese spread with fresh basil pesto and balsamic reduction.

Cape Charles, Virginia’s Eastern Shore:

AQUA AT KINGS CREEK MARINA in Cape Charles serves a Fried Green Tomato BLT Salad…smoked bacon and mixed greens, tossed with a roasted tomato vinaigrette.

Historic Charleston, South Carolina:

TBONZ in Historic Charleston had these great fried green tomatoes….they went in my burger.

SOUTHEND BREWERY & SMOKE HOUSE, located in Downtown Charleston had never had anyone topped their pizza with fried green tomatoes.  Of course, pimento cheese was included.  The pizza did not wow me here.  But, the combination of pizza and fried green tomatoes was pretty good.

LOWCOUNTRY BISTRO, located in Historic Charleston has a great Ambrose Farms Spinach Salad….an addition of Fried Green Tomatoes made it just perfect.

A.W. SHUCK’S – We stopped here with our Culinary Tour (post in the making)….the praline butter on the fried green tomatoes was delish.

TOAST, located on Meeting St. had their fried green tomatoes with sweet pepper relish.

The following recipe is soooooo good.  You can serve it with roast beef, chicken, or even in a sandwich.  It takes some time to make but once in the jars you can store them for a long time.  Give it as presents to special friends.

MERRYMAN’S GREEN TOMATO PICKLE

1 peck (8 quarts or approx. 20 lbs of small green tomatoes

6 red peppers

12 large onions

5 tablespoons celery seed

5 tablespoons mustard seed

1/2 gal. cider vinegar

3 lbs. light brown sugar

1 cup salt

Slice the tomatoes and onions very thin.  Cut peppers into thin strips.  Place alternatively (some tomato, some onion, some peppers) in layers in a large bowl, sprinkling salt over each layer.

Let mixture sit for several hours or overnight to draw out liquid.

Squeeze the pickle dry and place in a large kettle.  Pour vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed over pickle.

Cook slowly until onion is clear and tomato is almost transparent.  One to two hours.  Check and stir often.

Place in sterilized jars and seal.

Note:  It is usually served in my house during the Holiday Season.  It is an old Merryman recipe.

Have a good one!!

August 11th, 2013

Love Figs!! Rehoboth Eats, Fried Green Tomato Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack, Recipe, Fresh Ingredients, Gluten Free!!

Using fresh ingredients makes this recipe one of my favorites.  My fig tree is a colossal one. And I am patiently waiting for them to ripen.  Then corn….we have great corn at the  Delaware Beaches.  You can use yellow, white, or a combination of the two.  Tomatoes…summer is the season for tomatoes, except I will use green ones for this recipe.

I don’t know if it was the warm winter, the rain, or what, but my fig tree is huge.  I will need a cherry picker to reach the ones on top.  I think they still have a few more weeks, though.

Last year I made a stack using these favorite ingredients.  I put it on my blog, but I am sure it is now in the blogosphere.  This recipe served one, but you know what to do if you want to multiply it.

FRIED GREEN TOMATO FIG STACK

A couple of green tomatoes

1 ear of corn

4 slices bacon cut in half

Corn Starch

Pepper

Butter

honey

1 cup figs cut in half

Balsamic Reduction

The first thing I did was to reduce one whole bottle of Pompeian Balsamic Vinegar, slowly, until it had reduced to about 1/2 cup.  If you decide to use a commercial balsamic glaze, then read the label because it will probably not be gluten free.  If you do not have a gluten allergy, then, it is your choice.

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan. Once cooked, take the bacon out and place on paper towels to drain.  Keep those drippings in the frying.  I am afraid, this recipe is not low fat or low cal.

Peel corn husk and cut off the kernels.  Set aside.

In a gallon plastic bag, place about 1 cup of corn starch and a teaspoon of pepper.

Cut green tomatoes in slices.  Place in the bag to coat.

Heat bacon drippings in the pan, adding 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  I used Canola.

Fry the tomatoes, turning them over after a minute or so.  Fry them until they get that rich brown color.

Once done, take them out and place on paper towels to drain.

In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and add the corn.  Quickly cook, then take out and set aside.

Put another tablespoon of butter on that same small frying pan and add the figs.  They will cook quickly.  Add 2 tablespoons of honey to the pan.  Turn it off and remove from heat.

ASSEMBLING THE STACK

On a dinner plate, spread some of the corn, then a fried green tomato, followed by a couple of slices of bacon, add the figs and repeat the process once again, ending with a fried green tomato.

The extra figs can be scattered around the stack.  Then drizzle with the honey/butter left over from the pan.

Finish it off with the Balsamic reduction….a little bit goes a long way.

Enjoy!!