September 12th, 2020

Fig Fried Green Tomato Stack, Recipe, Time for Figs, Southern Delaware, Delaware Beaches, SoDel

There is my fig tree. Isn’t that a beauty? Once you see their leaves, you recognize them everywhere. Too bad they lose the leaves during the winter. They are so pretty.

My figs start ripening in September and once they start they seem to do it quickly. So my friends with Italian ancestry always are there to help me out in the consumption of this delicious fruit.

I picked those figs a couple of days ago. Wait until you see the recipe. If I must say so myself, it turned out so well.

My love of figs started over 20 years ago. In Southern Delaware there are plenty of us with fig trees. I know where they are. Shhhhhh, a secret!!

I love them fresh the best. They are just so sweet.

A few years ago I went with friends to Italy. In the town of Terracina which is to the southeast of Rome and a vacation spot for locals I immediately spotted one growing on the side of the street. Check it out.

Of course I had some. They were there for the taking. In the Island of Capri I had a Fig Smoothie. Loaded with figs and very refreshing during hot weather.

So now you know that I do like them.

In 2013 I developed my Fig and Fried Tomato Stack. If you want that recipe you can go to http://www.aboutmybeaches.com.

On the search put Fig Stack. The recipe is very easy. Last night I decided to make the recipe again and here it goes.

A couple of green tomatoes (or as green as you can get them this time of the year)

A couple of ears of corn

4 slices of thin bacon cut in half

Corn starch

Salt

Pepper

Butter

Honey

2 cups or more of figs cut in half (I like a lot of them)

Balsamic reduction (you can make your own or buy commercial one)

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan. Place on paper towels. Keep the drippings.

Cut the corn off the cob. Set aside.

Cut the two green tomatoes in slices. This recipe served 2. You need to have 3 slices for each person.

Get a plastic bag and put about 1 1/2 cups of Corn starch. Season with salt and pepper. Place tomatoes in the bag and shake gently to coat.

Heat bacon drippings and add some vegetable oil. You do not need a huge amount of oil. Fry the tomatoes, turning them over once. You want them to have a nice honey color. Place on paper towels.

In a small frying pan put a little bit of butter and cook the corn for a few minutes. Take them out and put in a bowl.

In the same pan put another tablespoon of butter and add the figs. You want them to cook some but not to let them get mushy. Add about a tablespoon of honey or even a bit more. Check the photo above. The figs are in the back burner after the cooking process.

Get two pretty plates to start making the Stack. First put corn on the plate. Spread it a bit in order to place the first fried tomato. Then 2 pieces of bacon, then spoon figs with juice on. It can drip to the sides. That adds to the allure of the dish. Repeat the process, finishing with the third fried green tomato on the top. Spoon figs around the corn. The final touch is a drizzle of the reduction of balsamic vinegar. Yes, I did make this reduction some months ago.

Voila!! This is Fig, Fried Green Tomato Stack. This dish has the texture, the tang, the finish; yes, the everything. It is totally delicious and you just need a nice cup of wine and enjoy!!

August 30th, 2012

Figs, Figs, and More Figs, A Fried Green Tomato, Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack…I had to come up with something, Recipe, Easy

How can one tree produce that many figs?  Over 100 per day.  I have my whole neighborhood eating them.  I have given them to restaurants; they are never ending.  I have had this fig tree for about 11 or 12 years.  Believe me, every year it has been producing a consistently good crop.  But, this year, it went all out.  It has also been the year when I have not been that into them.  Let me tell you, I am fig-ed out, and my friends are too!!

So, tonight, as I picked another hundred, I decided I was going to do something with them.  Bear with me, this recipe is not going to be too organized, but it turned out to be quite easy.  And, it was delicious!! It really was.

Ingredients:

A reduction of balsamic vinegar.  A week or so ago, I made a balsamic reduction by emptying a bottle of balsamic vinegar in a saucepan; cooking on low for about 1 1/2 hours, until a thick consistency.  I keep it in the refrigerator.  For this recipe only a few dots here or there of this reduction.

Green tomatoes; some already were turning.

1 ear of corn

4 slices of bacon cut in half

corn starch

pepper

butter

honey

About a cup of figs cut in half

Okay.  Here it goes.

The first thing I did was cook the bacon in a large pan.  Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to drain.  Keep the dripping on the frying pan intact.   Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you that this recipe is not low in calories, by any means.

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

Use a gallon plastic bag and put about 1 cup of corn starch and about a teaspoon of pepper.  If you want more, you know what to do.

Cut the green tomatoes in slices.  Place in the plastic bag to coat with corn starch.

To the bacon drippings in the pan add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Heat to medium high.  Fry the green tomatoes. Turning them over once after about 4 minutes or so.  Just check that they have a nice color before turning them over.

Once the tomatoes are done, then take them out of the frying pan and place on paper towels.

Heat about 1 tablespoons of butter in a smaller frying pan and add the corn that you had set aside.  Quickly cook it for a few minutes.  Take it out and put on a plate.

Put another tablespoon of butter in that same smaller frying pan and add the figs.  They will cook quickly.  Add about 2 teaspoons of honey to the pan.  Turn it off.  Move from the heat.

Get ready to assemble the Stack.

On you dinner plate, first start with the corn, then put a fried green tomato, followed by a couple slices of bacon, adding a few figs and repeat again, ending with a fried green tomato.

The extra figs can be put around the stack with some of the butter/honey drippings.

A little drizzle of balsamic here or there will be a great addition to your dish.

Then, all you have to do is enjoy!!   If I say so myself, it was really good.  It was also gluten free!!

Make it your own!!