Fried Green Tomatoes... And I'm Not Talking Fannie Flagg #recipes



I went to our local farmer's market yesterday… one of my favorite places to visit on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Before I knew it, my cart was filled with local peaches, apples, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and other beautiful fruits and vegetables. Then I saw it! A huge basket heaped with the largest, plumpest green tomatoes I'd ever seen. That's when I realized that I'd never eaten green tomatoes.

How could I call myself a southerner, I wondered, without ever having tasted the very popular southern dish called Fried Green Tomatoes? I decided, then and there, to rectify the problem. I chose a couple of those luscious, green babies and put them in my cart.

I decided to try a dry/wet/dry method to coat the slices. Don't worry, it's easy. I'll explain in the directions.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2 large green tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup all purpose flour
½ tablespoon granulated onion powder
½ tablespoon granulated garlic powder
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
2 eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch slices. 
Sprinkle slices with salt and pepper. 
Heat oil in a skillet.

Dry/wet/dry method:
In one bowl, stir together the flour, onion and garlic powders, and the cayenne pepper.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs until well scrambled.
Put the panko bread crumbs into a third bowl.
Dip the slices into the flour mixture, then into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumbs (get it… dry/wet/dry).
Fry the slices until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes on each side.
Drain on paper towels.
Enjoy!

Fried green tomatoes taste like nothing else I've ever eaten. The coating is crunchy and spicy, and the inside is firm but moist and has a slightly sour taste. Very delicious! Have you ever eaten green tomatoes? Where you eating out, or did you cook them yourself? How were they prepared?


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay, you are officially a Southern Gal! I don't remember when I was introduced to fried green tomatoes but on a recent vacation to SC I indulged once again and oh, my, the taste! I use the word 'tangy' to describe that sour goodness. And don't just eat them alone, add them to a grilled ham sandwich with some cheese and pesto sauce. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Vicki said...

Yum!

Now I know nothing about fried green tomatoes, so excuse my ignorance. Are the tomatoes simply unripened tomatoes or a particular variety of tomato?

Donna Fasano said...

According to Edible Madison, there are two types of green tomatoes. Those that are green when ripe (usually varieties of Heirloom tomatoes) and those that are unripe. What I fried was an unripe tomato. It sported no stripes on the outer skin AND there was a distinct tang to the flavor. Read more about green tomatoes here:
http://ediblemadison.com/eat-seasonal/edible/green-tomatoes

Vicki said...

Thanks, Donna. We love acidic tomatoes, so the unripe green is perfect for us. And thanks for the link -- some great ideas there, which I've saved.