Fried Green Tomatoes
I know Texas isn’t technically considered part of the “South,” but damn, I love fried green tomatoes! I was always craving them as a kid, especially when watching the 90’s cult classic movie starring Kathy Bates. The only problem was that green tomatoes weren’t common in the little North Texas town where I’m from. I didn’t have access to them until I started gardening and got connected to local farmers.
Most gardeners pick tomatoes when the colors start to change and let them ripen on the counter. I’ve had enough run-ins with critters to know that sometimes it’s best to pick them green because if I don’t, I might not get any tomatoes at all! Around here, it’s not uncommon to find green tomatoes in the CSA basket with other seasonal vegetables like basil and cucumber. It’s not a coincidence that I serve them with a green goddess dressing made with those two summer staples.
In order to get a perfectly crunchy crust on fried green tomatoes, you’ve got to do two things: salt the sliced tomatoes to draw out the excess water, and use a blend of cornmeal and panko for the breadcrumbs. A little bit of paprika, salt, and pepper is all you need for the seasoning. It’s an incredibly refreshing appetizer that’ll have you saying “TOWANDA”!
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 pound green tomatoes
Coarse sea salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
⅔ cup cornmeal
⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Avocado Oil- Cucumber-Basil Green Goddess
½ cucumber, peeled and chopped
¼ cup Basil leaves
1 garlic clove
½ lemon, juiced
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup creme fraiche
Directions
- Slice the tomatoes ¼” thick and then season generously with salt. Wait at least 5 minutes to let the salt draw excess juice out, then pat it very dry with a towel.
- While the tomatoes are salting, fill a large cast iron skillet with about 1” of oil and heat over high heat.
- Spread the flour across one plate, place the eggs in a bowl, and mix the cornmeal, panko, black pepper, and paprika on a second plate. Dredge the tomato slices in the flour, shake off the excess, then dip it in egg, and then finally dredge it in the cornmeal mixture.
- When the oil is hot, drop in each tomato slice, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. Let the fry for a couple minutes until golden brown on one side, then use tongs or a spider skimmer and flip to fry on the opposite side. Transfer to a wire cooling rack that allows airflow so they don’t get soggy as you fry the remaining tomato slices.
- Serve immediately with the green goddess dressing and extra salt if desired.
- Cucumber-Basil Green Goddess
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small food processor and pulse until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
