(Not Just) Fried Green Tomatoes
© Leda Meredith
Today the temperature dropped enough to send me running out into the garden for an end-of-season herb harvest. While I was snipping basil into a colander, I stopped and stared at all the green tomatoes that won't have time to ripen. The weather was unusually cold and wet this summer, and I didn't get nearly the red tomato harvest that I did last year. But all is not lost...
What to do when frost threatens and there are still all those green tomatoes hanging on the vines?
Well, for starters: chutney, pickles, pasta sauce, pie filling, breads, and of course, fried green tomatoes. I enjoy so many recipes for green tomatoes that sometimes I don't wait until autumn to start cooking them.
The chutney recipe below takes a bit of time to prepare, but once you have a few jars of it on hand it becomes an instant way to turn simple rice dishes or curries into feasts.
GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY
1 seeded lemon chopped into small pieces, peel included
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
5 cups chopped green tomatoes
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh ginger root OR 3 oz. chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups cider vinegar
1 or 2 small, hot red peppers, minced
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer slowly until the green tomatoes are very tender (this can take an hour or two). Preserve for future use by filling clean half -pint jars with chutney, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. This is my own variation of a recipe that appeared in the old edition of Joy of Cooking (the new edition is missing a few recipes, but has some new ones - I like having both versions on the kitchen shelf).
CLASSIC FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
Okay, I may be getting into trouble with this recipe - every fan of fried green tomatoes seems to have their own version of the best way to fix them. This recipe is a simple version. If you have a favorite, let me know. I'd love to try it!
Large green tomatoes, sliced into rounds approx. 1/4 inch thick
Whole Egg(s), beaten
Corn Meal
Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
Pour a thin layer of oil into a frying pan and place over medium high heat. Dunk tomato slices in beaten egg and then in corn meal. Fry, flipping over once, until golden and crisp on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. Garlic powder is also a good seasoning for these, and field garlic powder is the most delicious of all!
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