Fried Green Tomatoes

This is something that I have been wanting to make for a very long time.  Whenever I see fried green tomatoes on the menu, I will always get them.  Some of the best fried green tomatoes I've ever had were at the Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem.  They serve them crispy and hot with this tangy, spicy, creamy dressing and they are to die for.

There weren't any posts about my garden this summer because my garden was mostly non-existant.  The basil did well, until I cut it all up to make this pizza, and my dad planted beans so we were able to get about a single harvest of green beans.  However, the tomato plants I grew from seeds did not do too well, and we were left with lots of green tomatoes on the vine; tomatoes that refused to turn red.  So I decided to slice them up, bread them in my favorite breading, and deep fry them to perfection.

I've been told that there are different green tomatoes that you're supposed to use for fried green tomatoes, but the unripened tomatoes in my backyard worked just fine.  I served them with some Chipotle Ranch dressing and it was like I was at the Dinosaur BBQ.  They're crispy, yet the tomatoes retain a lot of their juice even after frying.  Also, we heated a few up the following day in the toaster oven and they were still crispy.  If your garden was a dud or if you happen to find green tomatoes at your grocery store, this is an excellent way to use them.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 6 – 8

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 2 – 3 minutes per batch

Ingredients

- 2 c oil or vegetable shortening for frying

- 3 green tomatoes, sliced

- 1 c flour

- 3 eggs, scrambled

- 1 c Panko bread crumbs

- 1 c Italian bread crumbs

- Dash of garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium sized pot until the oil reaches 350F. 

Grab 3 bowls and place the flour in one, the egg wash in another, and the Panko, Italian breadcrumbs, and seasonings in a 3^rd.  Dredge the green tomato slices in the flour, then coat in the egg wash, and then coat in the bread crumb and seasoning powder. 

Place 2 or 3 slices into the oil at a time, depending on the size of the pot.  You do not want to overcrowd your pot because it will drop the temperature of the oil dramatically.  Keep the oil between 325 and 350F.  Fry until both sides are golden brown (about 2 – 3 minutes each piece) and then place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle the fried green tomatoes with a little bit of salt to keep them crispy.  Serve immediately with chipotle ranch dressing. 

An Ali B original

Posted by Ali B at 7:23 PM