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Mollie
Katzen's
Fried Green Tomatoes |
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Tart, crunchy, and dripping with juice, fried green tomatoes are rarely
considered a breakfast food. But picture a few slices -- coated with golden
cornmeal -- on the plate next to your scrambled eggs or tofu, and I think
you'll reconsider. They're also a perfect partner for American
Potato Cutlets (follow link for recipe) and among my favorite
quiche fillings (page 139). Serve these warm, not hot, as the insides
of the tomatoes retain a lot of heat and could burn your mouth.
Recipe Notes:
The tomatoes don't have to literally be green, as long as they're unripe
and really hard. They soften up so much during the cooking process that
if they're at all ripe to begin with, you'll have mush when you're done.
Use a metal spatula for turning the tomatoes, and scrape the surface of
the pan when you lift them. This ensures that you won't accidentally separate
the cornmeal coating from the tomato.
Variation: Fried green TOmatoes with Melted Cheddar:
Follow the main recipe with this adjustment: Preheat the broiler. Place
the fried tomatoes in a baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 cup (packed)
grated sharp cheddar cheese. Broil just long enough to melt the cheese.
Serve right away.
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2 large unripe tomatoes (about 1 pound)
1/3 cup cornmeal or polenta (rounded measure)
1/4 teaspoon salt
nonstick cooking spray and a little butter for the pan
Optional Toppings:
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
sour cream
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YIELD: 2 to 3 servings (2 to 3 thick slices per serving)
PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes, plus 20 minutes to cook
1. Core the tomatoes, and thinly slice off the ends. Cut
the tomatoes into half- inch-thick slices (you'll get about 3 or
4 slices per tomato) and set aside.
2. Combine the cornmeal and salt on a dinner plate. Mix
until uniformly blended.
3. Dredge the tomato slices in the cornmeal mixture, pressing
it into the cut surfaces of the tomatoes to create a thick coating.
4. Place a large skillet or sauté pan over medium
heat for several minutes. Spray the hot pan with nonstick spray,
and melt in a little butter. After a few seconds, tilt the pan to
distribute the butter, then add the coated tomatoes.
5. Fry the tomatoes on each side for 8 to 10 minutes, or
until crisp and golden. You might need to add a little more butter
at some point to keep them from sticking.
6. Remove the tomatoes from the pan, and transfer them to
a wire rack over a tray to cool. (This retains their crispy texture.)
Wait at least 5 minutes before serving, as the insides of the tomatoes
will have become very hot and will need to cool down a little.
7. Serve warm, and pass some coarse salt, a pepper mill,
and if you like, some sour cream to spoon on top.
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