Fried Green Tomatoes!

I couldn't come up with a catchy title for my plans with the Green Tomatoes. It seems so natural, and happened to be the only "Green Tomato" option that arises on The Goggle Machine besides the movie itself (which I've never seen). Needless to say the process for making Fried Green Tomatoes does not change much recipe to recipe. Most use either Panko Bread Crumbs or (more traditionally apparently) cornmeal for the breading of the tomatoes. Some add paprika or cayenne to the breading, some leave them unseasoned, or with a little bit of salt and pepper. Almost all of them suggested buttermilk instead of an egg wash for the binder. Having said all that, what to dip them in varied widely from the simple mix of hot sauce and mayonnaise to the more complex remoulade. Either-way after a little bit of research I soon felt confident enough to start frying sans recipe.

Personally, I was eager to make this fried treat and serve it up next to Lettuce and Bacon for one of my all time favorite sandwiches. But since my pregnant sister was coming over for dinner and I worried that her sensitive pregnancy taste-buds might not be feeling adventurous, I baked up a pizza and provided the Tomatoes and a fried side dish along with a Citrus Ginger Aioli that I found listed HERE

The recipe for the Aioli is about as simple as making the tomatoes, but I would suggest making it ahead of time as mixing while frying is dangerous. Here are the ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

The steps are: MIX (duh) and keep refrigerated until serving. Try not to eat it with a spoon while you wait; it's tempting but remember the base is still mayonnaise and that would be gross.

Now on to the fun part, the Fried Green Tomatoes. Start by slicing them about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Toss the slices with a generous pinch of kosher salt and, laying them out on paper towels to soak up the lost moisture, let them sit for 15-20 minutes before giving them a pat dry.

Meanwhile, prepare the 3 part dredging system. For the first part I combined about 2 teaspoons of paprika with about 3/4 of a cup of flour. The second part was butter milk and the third part was panko bread crumbs. The order goes, Flour, Buttermilk, Breadcrumbs, holding plate.

Then, add about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil to the bottom of a heavy skillet (we used our cast Iron) and heat the oil until the handle of a wooden spoon causes bubbles to form quickly. Fry each tomato for 3-5 minutes on both sides until golden brown and delicious.

The End Result (with the aioli):

THE VERDICT:

I don't know why in the world I have never eaten these before. They were perfect. They were crispy on the outside, juicy but crisp on the inside and the aioli just took it to another level. The Husband and The Brother-in-Law certainly ate more than their fair share, and my sister contently consumed. If you've never had Fried Green Tomatoes before I am deeply concerned for the health of your soul. Quick. Go make some now before the rapture comes and you have missed your chance.