June 17, 2008Fried green tomatoes
This morning, my friend Randy from down the street brought me my first big mess of summer squash. They are beautiful little things, only about the length of my hand and pale and tender as butter. I plan to incorporate them into my favorite summer side dish -- sauteed squash and/or zucchini with sweet onion, garlic and tomatoes. Also in the bag were a few lovely banana peppers and two small green tomatoes. It was the latter that got me thinking about my next kitchen experiment, though. I've always liked fried green tomatoes but I've never made them myself. It is just me, or are fried green tomatoes appearing on more and more restaurant menus these days? And it's not just restaurants with low country fare, such as Trio in downtown Roanoke. I've had them topped with lump crab meat and dressed with ham and balsamic vinegar reduction. The best fried green tomatoes I've had in recent past were prepared by a chef with Jim Schaal's Catering. They were light and crispy and perfectly seasoned. Jim didn't make them himself, but it could very well have been his recipe. I asked his assistant how he made them that night and he just shrugged and gave me one of those "I don't know, a little egg, a little cornmeal, some seasonings" replies. Maybe it really is THAT simple. I could see all sorts of seasoning possibilities for fried green tomatoes -- seasoned salt, a little creole seasoning, a dash of Tabasco. And they are incredibly versatile in terms of toppings, as well. Remoulade? Feta cheese? A chili/sour cream sauce? Does anyone out there have a tried-and-true recipe for fried green tomatoes? I've got a couple of 'maters at home that are just dying for a dip. |
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Comments
[June 17, 2008 11:22 AM]
Amy Hanek : →http://www.eatingaroundvirginia.blogspot.comI've never tried to make them at home either. I am looking forward to seeing what good ideas pop up online!!
[June 17, 2008 11:31 AM]
KathyLord, honey, I love fried green tomatoes!!! I never had them (or fried okra) until I got married and my mother-in-law told me about them and I looked at her like she was crazy. Everything you mention above is perfectly fine, do and use what you like. Some people like them dipped in flour, I like mine crunchy so I use cornmeal, sometimes I dip them in egg, sometimes I don't. The crabmeat on top sounds wonderful!
[June 17, 2008 12:09 PM]
Lindsey : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet/Yeah, I think my grandma used seasoned flour or something, but the Jim Schaal ones definitely were coated with cornmeal because they were crunchy. Kathy, will you post a "recipe for dummies" for your fried green tomatoes so we can try them out? Is it just dip in egg, then dip in cornmeal with seasonings and fry in oil, or what? Can you use a mixture of flour and cornmeal?
[June 17, 2008 12:28 PM]
KathyOkay, here goes...
wash them first, then slice about quarter inch thick. Beat an egg with a little water in a shallow dish or pie plate. In another pie plate, mix cornmeal or flour with some salt and pepper (or seasoned salt), then dip the sliced tomato in the egg, then in the flour/cornmeal. Heat a frying pan with about a quarter inch of oil, and fry the tomato slices til they are golden. A little hot sauce in the egg is good if you want it spicier. Taste the first ones to make sure you have them seasoned enough, you can sprinkle a little more salt, etc, as needed. I've fried okra the same way, but lately I've just gotten the frozen breaded okra and fried them, just as good and not as messy. Enjoy! (I still want to try the crabmeat on top!)
[June 17, 2008 12:51 PM]
RebeccaWow, I can't wait for my first fried green tomato of the season! And making them at home is really THAT SIMPLE! I've tried several recipes, including oven fried but nothing beats dipping the slices in egg/milk mixture and coating with combination of cornmeal and flour (mostly cornmeal), salt and pepper. Fry in oil and enjoy!
I've had them in several restaurants but haven't tried any better than my homemade ones.
[June 17, 2008 1:32 PM]
Lindsey : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet/Looks like you both use almost the exact same recipe! I have some seasoned flour in the cupboard that I keep for venison tenderloin. I usually cut it with regular flour to cut down on the saltiness. I'm thinking I may add a little of that to some cornmeal and see how it turns out!
[June 17, 2008 1:44 PM]
Richard : →http://www.craigcreekgardens.comOK.. . . now for a stuuupid question. . .
How do I know WHEN a green tomato is "ready" to be used as a fried green tomato? Is it ANYTIME i am ready to pick it off the vine or is there some other way of knowing?
[June 17, 2008 1:59 PM]
JamieI do the same as Rebecca..except I use buttermilk instead of regular milk. I love fried squash but the hubby is a fan of the tomatoes.
[June 17, 2008 2:01 PM]
sheliaI have a friend who's Mom uses 1 part cornmeal to 3 parts pancake mix as a coating for yellow squash. She dips them in milk and the coating, she then fries them in a butter/bacon drippings. The pancake mix seems to be a bit lighter than plain flour.
[June 17, 2008 2:25 PM]
Lindsey : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet/I don't think that's a stupid question, Richard. My guess would be anytime a tomato is big enough to be sliced, it can be used. But maybe some would say there is a point at which the flavor is better, or the texture -- such as right before it starts to change color? Y'all wanna chime in?
[June 17, 2008 2:27 PM]
MichelleI love the Big Spring Mill seasoned flour for frying vegetables :)
[June 17, 2008 2:44 PM]
RebeccaI prefer them full size but completely green. I think the flavor is much different when they haven't begun to ripen. My mom likes to fry them when they've just started turning pink.
[June 17, 2008 3:26 PM]
DebbieI've never fried any myself, but I've eaten plenty. I will be trying it myself now after reading this. I think you're right, about getting them right before they turn colors. I would think if they're too green, they would be hard and not have enough flavor. I like the dipping in buttermilk suggestion, add a little tang to the flavor.
[June 17, 2008 3:48 PM]
Lindsey : →http://blogs.roanoke.com/fridgemagnet/Hmmmm....on the other hand, Debbie, people seem to like fried green tomatoes because they have a little sourness to them -- the "green" flavor. Once tomatoes ripen, they aren't quite as tangy. So I wonder if, as the tomato ripens, you actually lose some of that flavor? In order to find out, I think we are going to have to fry and eat lots of tomatoes at different stages in their development ;-)
[June 17, 2008 3:50 PM]
LoriGreat, my mama is giving out secret family recipes on the internet!!
[June 17, 2008 4:22 PM]
DebbieRight. I'll have to buy some on the market. I'm sure they'll be at just the right point. Has anyone had the Fried Green Tomato BLT at Trio?
[June 17, 2008 4:51 PM]
KathyRichard, that is such a 'man' question; when they are 'green', silly! No, really, when they have gotten to a good size but just before they start to turn color, that is when you want to pick them to fry. Lindsey, you can use both flour and cornmeal, or seasoned flour. Let us know how that turns out! You're right, Rebecca, nothing like homemade! BTW, at the Super Save IGA on Riverland Rd., they sell green tomatoes all year and they also have boxes of Whistle Stop (no kidding!) green tomato batter mix. I haven't tried it because I don't really want a batter. I think we need updates to this blog to see how everybody's tomatoes turn out, don't you, Lindsey? (Lori has accused me of giving away family recipes!)
[June 17, 2008 11:38 PM]
JoleneBelieve it or not, I like making my fried green tomatoes with cherry tomatoes. It's a great way to enjoy those last few tomatoes on the vine at the end of the growing season.
[June 18, 2008 7:46 AM]
CharlesLindsey: I don't have a recipe but recently ate fried green tomatoes for the first time. I was in Charleston SC last month and had a version of eggs benedict with lump crab meat and FGT. It was delicious!
[June 18, 2008 9:39 AM]
Sue (coffeepot) : →http://www.coffeepot.wordpress.comYes they must be completely green!
I have tried to fry them when they had just a tinge of ripening and they were not the same at all!
[June 18, 2008 11:10 AM]
LoriJolene, that's funny that you mentioned frying up cherry tomatoes. My mama and I were discussing the blog entry yesterday and I was telling her that Kroger has green tomatoes but they want $2.99/pound! Granted I would only need 2 tomatoes for me and my husband, but green tomatoes are dense and weigh more so those 2 tomatoes would cost me $6!
I joked that I had about 6 green cherry tomatoes on my vines at home, maybe I should fry those. But now that I see someone else does it, why not try it?
And this entry also got me wanting some good fried squash, so that's what we had with our grilled BBQ chicken last night. I do the squash the same as green tomatoes - soak in some milk then coat in corn meal. Delicious and just like mama's!
[June 18, 2008 12:56 PM]
KathyThat's my girl!! Something else I do if I only have one tomato, one yellow and one zucchini squash, just cube them up, put enough cornmeal over them to coat them and fry it all together. You get the tanginess from the tomato, and the goodness of the squash all together. Another way to use up the last of the garden's bounty.
[July 21, 2008 9:49 PM]
KellyThanks so much for all the info! I used a green tomato that was still hard, I don't think they are particularly close to getting ripe, but it was good sized. I simply dipped the slices in milk then flour mixed with some seasoned salt. Fried them and they were SO YUMMY! Very tangy too!
[July 22, 2008 11:58 AM]
LoriI found some green tomatoes on the Market Friday for $2.49/pound. To correct my previous statement, Kroger's price is actually $3.99/pound! ROBBERY!
I bought 2 green tomatoes, dipped them in an egg/milk mixture, the coated them with a mix of flour, corn meal, and cayenne pepper. We fried some potatoes and chicken and it was all delicious! My husband said he thinks this is my way of keeping him around!