Fried Green Tomatoes

Before we get started let me just state the obvious, I am no Pioneer Woman and I am no food stylist.  This post is for my west coast family and friends who may have never tried a fried green tomato because we just don't eat fried green tomatoes in California.  In fact, I rarely see them here in North Carolina either.

Look at these gorgeous green globes of goodness.  Aren't they beautiful?

I first fell in love with fried green tomatoes years ago when Rob and I visited Charleston with my folks.  What a foodie town that is!  After that trip my mom would make them for us each summer we visited; 

I always looked forward to this summer delicacy.  

Why green you ask?  Well, green tomatoes are picked before they ripen and turn red.  They are rock hard and very tart.  There is very little liquid in them so they are easy to slice and fry.  

They are pretty easy to make.  Here's how:

First dip your sliced green tomato in egg wash and then into a mixture of 1/2 flour, 1/2 Jiffy cornbread mix.  Add salt and pepper and any other seasoning you'd like.  I would've like to add a bit of cayenne for heat but Gracie was having them too, so no go.  

Place them right into a heated pan of Canola or Vegetable oil, or any oil with a high smoking point. I highly recommend a cast iron pan because cast iron gets so hot it creates a nice crust.   Look at that bubbly, golden goodness?  Can you smell it?  It smells divine.  Cook until golden, then flip that thang and golden up the other side.

Let them rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.  

OK, I realize this is not a "pretty" food shot but you get the idea.  We placed our fried green tomatoes on multi-grain toasted bread with mayo.  You can also add bacon, lettuce and sliced onion.  There are many different combos but I wanted the tomato to be the star this time around.  

In SoCal you might need to ask around at the farmer's market for green tomatoes or request them for the next week's market.  Once you buy them, use them within a day or two or they start turning orange, on their way to red.  

Let me know if you try them.