Fried Green Tomatoes

It's summer and it's time for fried green tomatoes. It's one of those side dishes that you only get at home because it comes straight from the garden.

I love them so much I eat them as a snack! Try this recipe and see what you think.

Ingredients

• 4 green tomatoes
• Salt and pepper  (to taste)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil  (for extra flavor replace half of the oil with bacon drippings)
• ¾ cup flour
• 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning or Fish Fry Seasoning Mix
• ½  cup coarse ground cornmeal
• ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• Milk  (you can use whole, buttermilk, or nut milk)

Recipe

1. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. Sprinkle salt on the slices and let rest.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
3. In wide, shallow bowls, put flour in one, cornmeal and bread crumbs in the other.
4. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk.
5. Dredge the tomato slices in flour.
6. Put floured tomato slices in milk and egg bowl then transfer to the cornmeal and bread crumb bowl until coated thoroughly.
7. When the oil is hot fry the slices for 3 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.
8. Gently flip the slices and fry the other side.
9. When done, sop any excess oil from the slices on paper towels before serving.
10. Serve warm.

Notes 

If you line up your bowls and tomato platter in a row you’ll create a nice assembly line.  Slice, dredge, wet, coat, then fry.

I find adding Cajun seasoning or any other spicy seasoning will greatly improve the fried green tomato breading. Add it to the flour and mix well. In a pinch I sometimes substitute Fish Fry mix for Cajun seasoning. You don’t taste the heat, just the flavor. 

I used to only use flour when making fried green tomatoes, but mixing the bread crumbs with the coarse cornmeal gives it a nice tooth. Extra points if you use seasoned bread crumbs. 

Milk: Buttermilk is best, but I rarely have it in stock. I had almond milk in the fridge and it worked perfectly fine.

Add salt and pepper to the flour, but add a little more than you think you need. You can also accompany the slices with a spicy mayonnaise, Ranch dressing, or Louisiana Remoulade Sauce.

How do you eat your fried green tomatoes? Is your recipe different from mine?