Of course there is the movie, which is a classic that will always be in my top ten, but Fried Green Tomatoes as a dish are so good. They are fried, but they feel healthier because they are tomatoes. They are actually quite filling and they are best accompanied, in my opinion, by a green salad and some grilled chicken.
I start to develop tomato guilt fairly early in the tomato season. My plants are starting to produce what feels like monstrous, obnoxious amounts of tomatoes. I start to worry that I won’t be able to consume them all. I have the same feeling about a large carton of plain Greek yogurt; my mind starts screaming, “don’t waste it!” To assuage my somewhat ridiculous, first world preoccupation around having too many tomatoes, I pick some green ones and fry them up.
Seasoning is key. Season the tomatoes directly and season the flour coating. You may find that I don’t call for enough salt here, so use your discretion. I use egg mixed with buttermilk for the wet coating. This adds a bit of tang. For the final crispy crumb coating, I mix Panko crumbs with ground Parmesan Cheese Whisps. This is a product available at Costco that is, very simply, Parmesan cheese baked into these dainty crisps. They are addictive. And tasty.
Here I arrive at another idiosyncrasy of mine, which is that I really don’t like to fry anything in my house. Given that my bounty of green tomatoes is occurring in the summer, it’s perfectly acceptable to fry on the grill. I promise. And much less stinky!
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1/2 c all purpose flour
- 1 t kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 t ground black pepper, divided
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c buttermilk
- 1/2 c Panko crumbs
- 1/2 c Parmesan Whisp crumbs, ground in a food processor, about 3/4 c before processing
- 2 large green tomatoes
- 1/3 c vegetable or canola oil
- For the sauce:
- 1/2 c Greek yogurt
- 1/4 c mayonnaise
- 2 T lemon juice
- 2 T fresh chives, minced
- 2 T fresh parsley, minced
- 1/4 t kosher salt
- 1/8 t ground black pepper
- 1/8 t garlic powder
Directions
- Step 1 In 3 shallow bowls, create 3 breading stations. In the first, combine the flour with 1/2 t kosher salt and 1/4 t ground pepper. In the second, whisk together the egg and the buttermilk. In the third, combine the Panko crumbs with the Whisp crumbs.
- Step 2 Cut the green tomatoes into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle them evenly on both sides with the remaining kosher salt and ground pepper.
- Step 3 Dredge a tomato slice through the flour mixture and tap off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture, then into the crumbs. Gently press down so that the crumbs coat both sides of the slice and set on a separate plate. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Step 4 Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat on the stove or on the grill. If you are working on the grill, keep a hot pad on one of your hands for safety.
- Step 5 Once the oil is very hot, add about 5 slices to the skillet, careful not to overcrowd. They should immediately bubble up and sizzle upon entering the pan. Fry each slice for about 5 minutes on each side, then carefully remove to a fresh plate covered in paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Step 6 Repeat the process with the remaining slices of tomato.
- Step 7 Serve immediately, accompanied by hot sauce, mustard, or a sauce made from the remaining ingredients listed in this recipe.
