Fried Green Tomatoes

The love affair with tomatoes continues. My favorite vegetable vendor at the Market had these beautifully green tomatoes that looked like they would be excellent fried up. When I was a kid visiting my grandparents in the Summer, my grandmother used to make fried green tomatoes, so I bought 2 and thought I would give it a try. I served them with a piece of halibut and fresh corn. They were just how I remembered them. A very yummy combination with the tartness of the green tomato, and the crunch of the cornmeal.

Slice tomatoes fairly thick, say a half inch. Set aside. In a bowl whisk 1 egg with a quarter of a cup of whole milk. In another bowl mix together half a cup of cornmeal with a liberal amount of salt and a good amount of coarsely ground black pepper. I like seeing the flecks of pepper in this. In a third bowl put in a half of a cup of all-purpose flour.

Take tomatoes slices and first dip into flour to coat. Next dip the tomato into the liquid mixture. Then they get a bath in the cornmeal. They are now ready to be fried.

In a large skillet, add a few glugs of vegetable oil so the entire surface is covered. I have seen this done on cooking shows, and they use tons of oil. I like the tomatoes to get toasty brown, and not overly greasy, so I try and not use a boat load of oil. My grandmother used lots of oil. Your call. It is important that the tomatoes not be overcrowded in the pan, so you might have to do this in batches, depending on the size of the skillet you are using. Once they have browned, flip and do the same for the other side. Put the finished tomatoes on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.

Share these with someone you love. Enjoy!