Ingredients:

•  2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered

•  2 red delicious apples, peeled, cored and quartered

•  2 vanilla bean, 1 inch long, shaved and split

•  2 c Vin Santo

•  6 sea scallops

•  2 tbls butter

•  2 tbls Big Sur Gourmet Fig Balsamic Vinegar

•  2 tbls Big Sur Gourmet Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

•  2 tsp hazelnuts, finely chopped

•  4 belgian endive leaves

•  4 trevisano leaves

•  salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place apples and vanilla beans in a small sauce pan. Add Vin Santo and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Purée apple mixture in blender. Set aside, keeping blended mixture warm. Heat Meyer Lemon Olive Oil in sauté pan. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Place in hot oil and sear until brown.

3. Turn over the scallops, whisk in butter with basting brush. Basted scallops and finish to golden brown slowly.

4. Remove scallops from the pan. Replace with endive and trevisano. Wilt the leaves quickly in pan juices.

5. For each or two servings, place dollop of apple mixture in the middle of a small plate. Top with two leaves of green, then three scallops. Drizzle half of Fig Balsamic Vinegar and finish with half of the hazelnuts.

Ingredients:

• 4 large bell peppers, able to stand

• 2 lbs lean ground beef

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or mashed

• 2 onions, diced

• 4 tbls fresh basil, finely chopped

• 16 large green olives, sliced

• ¼ tbls dried dill

• ½ c Italian style breadcrumbs

• 2 eggs

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Big Sur Gourmet Fig Balsamic Vinegar

 

Directions:

1. Core bell peppers and remove white stem and seeds. Broil until skin blisters and can be easily removed. Lightly salt interior of peppers.

2. Mix ground beef with the remaining ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Splash Fig Balsamic Vinegar over mixture and knead again.

3. Stuff bell peppers with the ground beef mixture until it mounds just above the level of the pepper opening.

4. Here’s the real secret… take the bottle of Fig Balsamic Vinegar and douse the meat mixture with the vinegar. Let it pour over the beef and fill up the space between the ground beef and the bell peppers.

5. Place the peppers in an oven proof dish with water or beef broth in the bottom… about 1” of liquid.

6. Place in a pre-heated 350º F oven for 45 minutes. Add more liquid as needed. The flavor of the vinegar will add a subtle nuance to the whole experience.

 

• Rub on chicken or pork roast then roast in the oven...then make a reduction using the pan drippings for a tasty sauce

• Fabulous on vanilla ice cream, cheese cake, creme brulee, or brie

• One of my favorite desserts is to start with angel food cake, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, add sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen), then drizzle with Fig Balsamic. Yummmmm!

Fig Balsamic Vinegar