FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

                                 

I heard a vicious rumor that fried green tomatoes might have originated in the North, but I refuse to believe such trash!  Therefore I will proceed by stating that today’s recipe is uniquely Southern and extremely delicious!  At first suggestion, most people will not want to try them, but if you can get them to have a taste, they will be hooked!  This is one of those dishes that is hard to get to the table, because people want to “sample” them as fast as you can make them.  It’s interesting because I’ve not had to pay for many green tomatoes in Canada, especially when I get them at the farmer’s market.  Surprisingly when I take them to the register, the merchant nearly always says, “oh just take those—they’re no good since they aren’t even ripe”.  Now I’ve tried to tell them (using my thickest Southern accent) that I’m planning on cooking them because they’re green---but they won’t accept it!  The owner of our local nursery told me to come over and just “take” as many of the green ones as I wanted right off his tomato plants.  Even at the grocery store they have apologized to me as they ring them up because they are unripe.   I think I need to have these people over for supper to taste these treasures and then they would charge me double!  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

Green tomatoes (any size)

1 and ¾ cups buttermilk

2 eggs

Black pepper

1 and ¾ cups self-rising flour

Canola oil (or frying oil of your choice)

Kosher salt (to taste)

Instructions:

*Wash and thinly slice green tomatoes (about ¼ inch thick slices)leaving skin on.

*In a large bowl, mix together the buttermilk, eggs and 2 T. of the flour.

*Place the tomato slices into the buttermilk mixture.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

*In a different bowl, place the flour and pepper.

*Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or your heaviest frying pan.  The oil should be shallow to prevent splatters but deep enough for tomato slices to slightly float.

*Remove each slice from the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the flour mixture to coat.

*Place each slice into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.  The pan should be full but don’t overcrowd the pan.  Also regulate the temperature of the oil so that tomatoes get golden brown, but do not burn as you cook them.  You should turn the tomatoes over once or twice to cook (although they will not be tender like red tomatoes).

*Drain tomatoes on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

*Sprinkle with a bit of Kosher salt as soon as you remove them from the oil.

*Serve immediately  (they get a bit mushy sometimes if they sit around).

*If you need to keep them warm, remove the paper towels after they have drained and keep them in a warm oven until you serve them.

REMINDER:

Remember to be extremely watchful whenever you fry food.  Regulate your heat to keep the oil under control (never let it get so hot that it smokes).  Keep a lid that perfectly fits the surface of the frying pan, close to the pan to quickly cover it if a fire occurs (turn off the heat source first).   Also keep baking soda nearby to dump on a fire.