Fried Green Tomatoes

Oh man, theres nothing like a good fried green tomato! The movie was good too.  But when you get a plate full of crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside-slightly-greasy tomatoes, its like a trip to another time.

Recently I shared we went on a trip to my parents house and toured my mom's garden which was full of all kinds of produce.  Tomatoes were everywhere!  All sizes and colors too! I couldn't help but snatch a few of those beautiful bright green ones to take home! I was dying to make some delicious fried green tomatoes.

Start by slicing up your tomatoes.  A medium to thick cut slice.  They should be nice and crunchy!

Next the dredging station...you should have a bowl of all purpose flour, a bowl of about 2-4 eggs whisked with about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of heavy cream or buttermilk, and a third bowl of about 1 cup fine breadcrumbs, I cup cornmeal, and your choice of seasoning such as a little salt and pepper, maybe a little paprika or even Old Bay, whatever your tastes are.  Notice there aren't strict measurements.  Its all about your tastes and how many tomato slices you're frying up.  Experiment a little! Have fun!

Heat up some veggie oil or peanut oil, if you prefer, in a big semi-deep frying pan.  You'll want enough oil to cover your tomatoes once they're swimming in there. Once all your prep stuff is ready and your tomatoes are sliced, let each tomato slice take a dip in the flour to get a nice even coat.  Then dip in the egg wash and shake off the excess. Next, dredge the tomato in the breadcrumb mixture until well coated.

Carefully put 3 to 4 slices (or however many can comfortably fit in the pan, don't crowd them too much!) into the hot oil.  Let them fry a couple minutes on each side or until you see a beautiful crispy golden coat!  Set them aside on a papertowel to drain any excess oil before serving.

We decided to have an all-out southern comfort dinner that night...fried green tomatoes with a dollop of fresh goat cheese on top and cheesy grits topped with grilled Old Bay shrimp.  Yumma Yumma indeed!!

we used some quick cooking grits...

and some sharp cheddar cheese!