I’ve been enjoying the fruits of my garden all summer long--cucumbers, zucchini, hot peppers and so many cherry tomatoes but the one thing that I wait for all summer--my great, big, juicy heirloom tomatoes have stayed stubbornly illusive. The massive vines keep growing higher and higher, the tomatoes keeps popping out all over the place but they remain unflinchingly... immutably… green! So what’s a girl to do when all her tomatoes are green? Make fried green tomatoes, of course!
This recipe is an amalgamation of lots of things I like in fried food batters. Traditionally, green tomatoes are fried in cornmeal, but I’m substituting Panko (the extra-crunchy Japanese breadcrumb) for a crispier crust and giving it a little kick with some Creole Seasoning salt and Hot Sauce.
Fried Green Tomatoes
2-3 Large, Firm Green Tomatoes
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Buttermilk, Heavy Cream or Milk
3 cups Panko
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
4 teaspoons Creole seasoning or your favorite seasoning salt
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Tabasco, Red Hot or your favorite hot sauce to taste
Grapeseed or other high heat oil for frying
Quick Dipping Sauce
1 cup sour cream
1-2 tablespoons Your favorite hot sauce
1 tbs finely chopped green onion
Wash tomatoes and cut into ¼ inch slices. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and allow to sit while you prepare the breading.
Crack two eggs into a bowl and beat with a little buttermilk, heavy whipping cream or milk. I like to add a little Tabasco or Red Hot for some spice. Pour this into a shallow dish.
In a second dish, combine Panko, a good dose of Creole seasoning or other seasoning salt and lots of black pepper along with some garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
Fill a cast iron skillet with ½ inch of oil and heat until a little bit of Panko dropped into the pan sizzles. Dredge tomatoes in egg mixture followed by panko and fry, turning once until GB & D (golden brown and delicious).
Enjoy with a quick dipping sauce. I combined sour cream, a little Red Hot and some chopped green onion.
Taste some southern food in these upcoming hands-on cooking classes at The Chopping Block:
- Southern Comfort Monday, August 28 at the Merchandise Mart
- Bayou Bash Tuesday, August 22 at Lincoln Square
