Fried Green Tomatoes are about as Southern as you can get. They are crispy, tart and slightly firm. My mother used to slice them paper thin and bread them with cornmeal and a sprinkle of salt. I like mine thicker with a crisper crust so each slice is dipped in a buttermilk and hot sauce bath before they are coated with a seasoned cornmeal and flour mixture.

The possibilities are endless in ways you can enjoy fried green tomatoes. They make a great appetizer with creole remoulade. Fried green tomato, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches are a favorite as are juicy hamburgers with fried green tomatoes piled high with pimento cheese.

You would never refrigerate a red tomato but it won’t hurt a green tomato. They won’t ripen and will stay green until you are ready to fry them! Try to find whole buttermilk because it is thicker than the low fat version. The thick buttermilk sticks better to the tomatoes and holds more breading for a thicker crispy crust when fried.

Fried Green Tomatoes- makes 12 slices

3 medium green tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Canola oil for frying
Garnish: Creole remoulade, parsley, and kosher salt

Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Wash, dry, core and slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick. Place tomato slices in a single layer on the wire rack. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes while you prepare the dipping and dredging station.

In a small bowl mix buttermilk and hot sauce. In a pie pan mix cornmeal, flour, and seasonings. Taste to see if the seasonings need to be adjusted. Pat green tomato slices dry with paper towels. Dip tomato slices in buttermilk mixture then dredge in the cornmeal flour mixture.

Fry green tomato slices in 350F canola oil for 2 minutes per side or until they are golden brown. Don’t overcrowd. Place fried tomatoes on the wire rack to drain. Sprinkle with kosher salt while they are still hot. Serve with creole remoulade and chopped parsley. Find the creole remoulade recipe under the heading: Dressings and Sauces. Enjoy Friends!

Published in The News and Neighbor on September 7, 2016