Fried Green Tomatoes

1. Southern Hot and Crunchy Fried Green Tomatoes With Green-Chile-and-Lime Tartar

From the Ocotillo Restaurant, Lajitas, chefs Chad and Amber Burns

Green-Chile-and-Lime Tartar
1 red bell pepper (about 1/4 cup), for garnish
2 1/4 cups green chile peppers (about 24 Mexican green chile peppers equals 2 cups)
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup drained capers
3 bunches cilantro, leaves only
5 limes, juiced and zest (may use 4 limes)

Blister and peel skin from peppers. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds and veins and dice into 1/4-inch pieces. Reserve red bell pepper and equal part of green chile for garnish. Put the remainder of the green chiles along with the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until blended. Chill while preparing the fried green tomatoes.

Fried Green Tomatoes
1/4 cup toasted almonds, for breading
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 cups cornflakes
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup cornstarch
3 to 4 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 tablespoons clarified butter

Combine almonds, sesame seeds, corn flakes, sugar, red chili flakes, and salt in a food processor and pulse until coarse and crunchy yet well blended. Empty onto baking sheet.
Whisk milk and eggs to make egg wash. Place cornstarch in flat dish. Dredge the tomatoes in the cornstarch until well dusted. Pass dusted tomatoes through the egg wash, wetting the entire tomato. Place tomato on the hot and crunchy mixture, lightly pressing the mixture on the tomato with the palm of your hand.
In a large and heavy sauté pan heat clarified butter to about 325 degrees. Lay the tomatoes in the hot pan and sauté for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
To serve, place 2 fried green tomatoes on a plate, top with the green chile and lime tartar, and garnish with the diced peppers (sprinkle a few around the edges of the plate too). Serves 6.

 

2. Fried Green Tomatoes With Marinara

From Suze, Dallas, chef Gilbert Garza

Marinara
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup shallots, chopped
1 1/2 cups garlic purée
3 cups white wine
4 pounds whole tomatoes, peeled
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

Heat a medium stainless steel pot and add olive oil, shallots, and garlic purée. Sauté until soft or translucent, then add white wine and reduce wine by two thirds. In a food processor pulse whole peeled tomatoes (just to break up slightly) then add them to pot and stir for about 30 seconds. Add a little salt and pepper and allow to cook for 2 to 6 hours, depending on your time. One hour before serving, add fresh chopped herbs and check seasoning. For a slightly richer taste, add a little whole unsalted butter.

Fried Green Tomatoes
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 to 3 small to medium green tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups A.P. flour
3 cups seasoned Japanese bread crumbs
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin

Make an egg wash mixture with the milk. Cut tomatoes about 1/8 inch thick and season with salt and pepper. Dredge tomatoes in flour and shake of excess. Dip tomatoes in egg wash and then in the seasoned bread crumbs (season with turmeric, paprika, and cumin), covering entirely. Fry at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
Serve with shaved manchego cheese and tomato marinara. Serves 10 to 14.

 

3. Roasted Oakhill Farms Juliette Tomato Soup With Fried Green Tomatoes, Lemon Basil, Cumin, and Epazote

From Las Canarias, La Mansión del Rio Hotel, San Antonio, chef Scott Cohen

Juliette Tomato Soup
1/2 pound butter
1 small onion, diced
2 small leeks, diced (washed, whites only)
4 small stalks celery, diced
2 small carrots, diced
salt and pepper to taste
30 small very ripe juliette tomatoes, diced, or 6 cups small very ripe red beefsteak tomatoes, diced
1 bunch lemon basil, chopped
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seed (you can find it in the spice aisle at the grocery store)
1 teaspoon epazote (we used dried but 1 teaspoon would be equal to 5 or 6 leaves fresh epazote)
1/2 cup brown rice
1 to 2 gallons chicken stock (or chicken broth)

In a large sauce pot [we recommend using at least a 10 quart stockpot] melt butter and add onion, leeks, celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat until onions are soft and translucent. Add 1/2 of the tomatoes (15 tomatoes or 3 cups) and 1/2 of the lemon basil. Add all of the cumin and epazote. Cook for 5 minutes more, add the brown rice, and cover with chicken stock until vegetables are beading out of stock (covered completely with 2 fingers of extra stock). Boil, reduce to a simmer, cook rice for 20 minutes. Add remainder of tomatoes and lemon basil. Simmer for 10 minutes and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove and purée with a hand beurre mixer, or carefully purée in a Cuisinart, or blend being careful of the hot soup.

Fried Green Tomatoes
10 tomatillos
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup Wondra flour (any flour will do, but we prefer Wondra)
2 cups peanut oil (if you prefer, may use canola oil)

Slice tomatillos into 1/4-inch slices, put through breading procedure (dip in buttermilk, dip in Wondra flour, dip in buttermilk, dip in Wondra flour). Fry in 2 cups peanut oil at 350 degrees in a saucepot or tabletop fryer until crisp (15 minutes). Remove and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place 8 ounces of soup in a bowl. Garnish with 3 to 5 pieces of fried green tomatoes and 1 sprig of lemon basil. Makes 2 to 3 gallons. Bon appétit.

 

4. Fried Green Tomatoes

Hoover's Cooking, Austin, chef Hoover Alexander

Marinade
1 quart milk
1 cup beaten eggs
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
2 teaspoons Tabasco
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Breading
1 1/2 cups masa
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 quart flour
4 teaspoons cayenne
4 teaspoons black pepper
4 teaspoons granulated garlic
3 tablespoons salt

[Editor's note: This recipe yields 40 to 50 servings. We followed it as provided by the chef. At the very least, you may want to halve this recipe.] Marinate sliced green tomatoes (for the amount in this recipe, 15 to 20 tomatoes are needed sliced 1/4 inch thick) for 20 minutes. Coat well with breading. [Editor's note: We recommend repeating this process to keep the tomatoes from falling apart.] Fry at 350 degrees for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
To serve, place 3 to 4 slices on a plate.

 

5. Fried Green Tomatoes

The Nance Family Recipe, provided by Brandi Nance.

Texas Monthly staffer Brandi Nance tested the recipe from Hoover's Cooking. She likes fried green tomatoes so much that she wanted to share her family's own recipe.

Marinade
2 cups vinegar (we recommend red-wine vinegar)

Breading
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

Cut 5 green tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Marinade in vinegar for 20 minutes or longer. Cover tomatoes completely in breading mix. Fry at 350 degrees for approximately 3 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan. Approximate serving size is 3 or 4 slices; makes 10 servings.