KAREN'S GALLERY (est. 2005)

FRIED TOMATOES - Karolina's recipe

Recipe request from Kevin.
The picture shows two kinds: red tomatoes and, in the inset, green tomatoes.
I prefer tomatoes that are firm (still green-ish) but show a healthy red blush all around and, that when you cut them, are already turning red on the inside too. Red fried tomatoes (that are not ripe) are the ones you grew up on.

Tomatoes - firm with a good red blush on them for best flavor. The redder the tomato the better the flavor, but beware using ripe tomatoes, they'll fall apart in the pan.
Egg/s
Milk
Flour
Breadcrumbs
Oil - (bacon fat is better but you'll soon run out of it)
Salt

Slice tomatoes into about 1/2" slices and put aside on a plate.
Whisk egg/s and add a splash of milk and whisk again to combine well.
Put flour on one plate and breadcrumbs on another

"Bread" the tomatoes by covering in flour, dipping in egg yolk, then turning in breadcrumbs.

Heat a large cast iron skillet, then add enough oil to cover the bottom and a little bit more.
Oil is hot enough when a drop of water "dances" on the surface.
Add breaded tomato slices and fry until between golden and brown.
Turn the tomatoes, sprinkle the fried side with salt, and fry until done. Turn onto a plate and sprinkle other side with salt.
(If at any time during the frying process the oil gets low, and it quickly will, add more oil.)

Continue until all slices are cooked.
Serve hot.

Your father taught me about fried green tomatoes. I'd never heard of fried tomatoes, green or otherwise. I was terribly disappointed with them. Green tomatoes, to my tastebuds, were flat and tasteless things. The next time he wanted green-fried there weren't enough green tomatoes so I used mostly those that had a red blush. He got the green ones. Mmmm... better taste to the ones with red!. So I experimented between ripe (fell apart in the pan), green (no taste), and inbetween (perfect). Your father said he liked them better too. From that time on, whenever I made fried tomatoes, if there were green ones your father got them because he didn't mind eating them. This is why I prefer calling mine "fried tomatoes" instead of "green fried tomatoes". I never did develop a taste for the green ones and none of you wanted any parts of them either.

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