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. Juicy hamburgers with fried green tomatoes piled high with pimento cheese are popular .

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 350ºF 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. Makes 12 green tomatoes. Enjoy Friends!

New Orleans style remoulade is the perfect accompaniment for fried green tomatoes, fried crab cakes, fried pickles, fried okra and fried fish. I think there is a theme here; remoulade is great on almost anything fried!  On the non-fried side of things it is often used as a dressing for a Louisiana shrimp and lettuce salad called shrimp remoulade.  

I’ve added everything but the kitchen sink to this recipe but that’s just how we do things in the South. We start with a little of this and a dab of that and before you know it the ingredient list is a mile long. I’ve tried simpler versions of this sauce without the fresh vegetables but they don’t hold a candle to the real thing! 

Creole Remoulade

1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3/4 tablespoon horseradish
2 tablespoons creole mustard
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup full fat mayonnaise

In a small food processor add all ingredients except mayonnaise. Process until vegetables are finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in mayonnaise by hand. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to let the flavors develop. Stays fresh for one week.