Green tomatoes from the garden

I’m assuming that most of you have seen the classic movie “Fried Green Tomatoes.” If not, watch it immediately. Seriously. If you haven’t seen the movie then perhaps you have read it’s source of inspiration, Fannie Flagg’s novel, “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Inn.”

Maybe you have done neither, or both! Either way, my bet is that you have at least heard of fried green tomatoes, even if you have not tried them. Not a very popular dish in New York, fried green tomatoes have become one of my favorite summer eats. Whether they are an appetizer to your meal or a hearty snack, there is something quite fulfilling about this battered vegetable (technically fruit).

Preparing this dish is extremely simple. Although I’ve found that many people have not tried, whether it be repulsion to the idea or fear, I don’t know. But if you’re interested, here is what you do:

1. If you are like me, and currently have tomato plants growing in your back yard, pick a couple of large green ones off of your plants. You want them to be decent sized but picked before they start to turn red and go soft. Sometimes this can be a bit of a guessing game, so if you see one that’s about to turn, pluck it fast before it goes red. Cooking for two people, I usually pick two or three.
2. Next, you simply slice the tomatoes! (Simple enough right?)
3. I then get out two small dishes and start warming a pan on medium heat. I use vegetable oil to fry my tomatoes but olive oil can be used as well. As the pan begins warming I pour enough oil in to coat the bottom of the pan.
4. Once my tomatoes are sliced I began dipping the separate pieces in scrambled egg and panko breadcrumbs respectively. (This being what the two small bowls are for.)
5. Once your tomato slices are coated in both egg and breadcrumb, lay them flat in the pan of hot oil. Give them a couple of minutes before flipping them. You want the slices to be thoroughly fried, softening the hard texture of the green tomato. The breadcrumbs should be dark brown in color.
6. Once both sides are cooked, lay the slices on a plate with paper towels. The paper towels soak up the extra oil and give your tomatoes a satisfying crunch!
7. While hot, sprinkle with salt and enjoy!

Again, not an overly complicated recipe, but certainly delicious! If you’ve never had a fried green tomato before, I definitely recommend that you give it a go!