Fried Green Tomatoes

So what do you when you can’t sleep?  Try to fall back to sleep?  Watch TV?  Read?  Stare at your ceiling fan, asking the Big Guy upstairs why you are awake after being asleep for only 4 freaking hours?  – Yeah, I asked that question, out loud, and got no answer…I was peeved. 

Other than the question asking, I did none of the above.  Nope. 

I fried green tomatoes. 

A girl has to eat. 

Have you ever tried fried green tomatoes?  No?  You are missing out and need to find yourself some green tomatoes.  Simple as that.  I haven’t found many people – outside of my family- that have tried fried green tomatoes.  It is a southern dish and since northern Ohio isn’t exactly in the south..well, lets just say I wasn’t exactly surprised.

They are strange looking, yep.  Green, very very green.  And firm, like freakishly firm – crisp apple firm.  They actually resemble a granny smith apple not a tomato… Its weird but right.  Just buy them, slice them, fry them, and devour them.  Plus, if you are eating a fried vegetable, its still counts as a vegetable serving.  Right?  Right?!?  Man I hope so….Wait…aren’t tomatoes fruit?  Hmmm….

So are you ready?  Let’s roll…

Slice them.  I like using my bread knife…

You will want to lightly salt these slices…

Station 1 : Dredge in the flour and seasoning…

Station 2:  Dip into the buttermilk/milk and egg wash…

Station 3: Cover in bread crumbs and corn meal. 

Tip – Do all the work with one hand, therefore keeping one hand clean to answer the phone, take pictures, get hair out of your eyes.  You know … important stuff.

Fry on one side…

Then the other.

Then eat them.  I like putting mine atop a salad.  Its like a diet coke with a Big Mac and large fry. 

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves about 4

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 medium Green Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable oil ( or bacon fat, yes bacon fat – its good )
• 1 Cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 to 2 Teaspoons Cajun seasoning (optional) or salt and pepper to taste
• 2/3 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs ( or any bread crumb in pantry)
• 1/3 Cup Corn Meal
• 1/2 Cup Buttermilk or Milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions

Core tomatoes and cut into 1/2 inch slices (guess, no ruler needed).  Lay flat and sprinkle with salt and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare your batter stations.  In separate shallow bowls or pie plates mix together 1) flour with seasoning 2) buttermilk/milk with egg, whisk to combine 3) bread crumbs with corn meal.  Line them up in this order.

Heat oil over medium heat, in skillet – cast iron works well. 

Dredge tomato slices in flour, shake off extra.  Dip into the milk and egg mixture and then finally into the breadcrumbs/corn meal. 

Place tomatoes into oil, cooking on each side for about 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on each side.  Do not over crowd pan and cook in batches if necessary.  When done, remove from pan and let rest on paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle with salt immediately. 

Eat while warm. 

Oh another question…in the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes – do they ever eat or prepare fried green tomatoes?  I might have to re-watch the movie…just add that to the list.