Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Farm To Table: (Not Your Grandma's) Fried Green Tomatoes



There are quite a few things that bring out the "southern girl" in me... one of which is fried food!  I'm pretty sure that my love for fried food started at birth and has never wavered.  Some of my all time favorites are fried hushpuppies, fried chicken strips, and cheese fries!  As I got a little bit older I quickly learned that not only did I love fried foods but my hips and thighs loved them as well.  They loved them so much, in fact, that they gobbled up every bit of fried food I ate and held on to it for dear life.

It was at this point that I learned that I had to alternate my fried foods with fresh fruits and veggies and that in the end it would all balance out.  The older I get the balancing act seems to require more fruits and veggies as less greasy goodness but that's neither here nor there!

One of my VERY favorite things is a deliciously fresh fried green tomato.  It takes me straight to my happy place... THE SOUTH!!

One of my best girlfriends, Amy, sent Brian a list of questions around the time of the wedding. The goal was to ask Brian the questions, get his responses, then ask me the same questions and see how many of our answers matched.  One of my favorite questions was, "Who is the better cook?".  I think a lot of my girlfriends were surprised because my answer (and Brian's answer) was without any hesitation, BRIAN!!  He has the creative mind to know what flavors mix well and has the ability to just create a recipe and have it turn out to be wonderful.  So for this recipe the credit goes 100% to my hubs.

I impulsively purchased some green tomatoes at the farmers market.  I had a moment of complete panic at the farmers market when I realized that the season is ending! I sliced my tomatoes, whipped out the milk and flour, and started to get prepared to cook.

All of a sudden I look around and my milk is gone.  Missing. No where to be found.  In it's place is an ice cold beer.  Want to batter something in beer? Twist my arm :)  Then my I turn back around and my flour has a box of corn meal sitting next to it and B is rummaging through the spice cabinet.  I've learned over the years that when B gets inspired in the kitchen it's best to just let him go because his results are almost always out of this world.  This recipe is so easy and I promise it will change your life!!

(Not Your Grandma's)  Fried Green Tomatoes
3 Large Green Tomatoes
1 Can Beer
1/2 C Flour
1/2 C Corn Meal
1 Tbs Spanish Paprika (any paprika will work)
1/2 Tbs Garlic Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

Preheat cast iron skillet on the stove so that it's hot and ready to go.  Fill bottom with a thin layer of oil.   We used peanut oil but any will work.

Cut tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Have two bowls ready. Fill one with beer and the other with a mixture of dry ingredients.  Dip tomato slice in beer then put face down into dry mix and flip coating both sides equally.  


Once skillet is hot and oil is "glistening" as Brian says add your tomatoes in groups of three.  Brown on each side and you're ready to eat!


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