A delicious southern classic perfect for farmer's market fresh green tomatoes!
Depending on how you cook them, these fried green tomatoes are the gluten-free and potentially guilt-free stuff of dreams! You can deep-, shallow-, or air-fry these beauties. The tomatoes pictured were air-fried to crispy-coated perfection. Knobs of honeycomb soften and slide on the golden tomato coins flecked with large grounds of cracked black pepper and gray salt. Sophisticated, sexy, celebratory—even seasonal!—and a little southern, y’all!
Equipment: cutting board; chef’s, tomato, or serrated knife; measuring spoons; dry measuring cups; (3) shallow bowls; large sauté pan, cast iron skillet air fryer, or deep fryer; candy thermometer (optional); offset heatproof spatula or tongs
Ingredients:
3 green tomatoes
½ cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour
½ cup fine cornmeal (white or yellow masa)
1 egg
vegetable oil for frying or vegetable oil spray
finishing salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons honeycomb, broken into pieces
IF DEEP-FRYING:
1. Trim the tomatoes of their tops and bottoms to discard. Slice the trimmed tomatoes into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.
2. Add the flour to a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. Then beat the egg with a fork in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. Put the cornmeal in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. From left to right, line up the flour, egg mixture, and cornmeal, respectively.
ILOC tip: do not season the tomatoes before coating them. The salt will make them "sweat," which will prevent them from crisping. They will be seasoned once cooked and the taste will be outstanding! It's all about technique, not torture.
3. Dredge one tomato slice in the flour and shake off excess. Then dip the coated tomato into the beaten egg, using a fork, then lift directly into the cornmeal. With a dry hand, toss well to coat and set aside. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices.
4. In a deep fryer, cast iron skillet, or Dutch oven with a candy thermometer attached, heat 2 inches of oil (or more if in a deep fryer, per manufacturer's instructions) over medium heat to reach 375ºF.
5. Place the coated tomato slices in the oil without crowding (frying batches if necessary). Fry on one side for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Continue to adjust the heat in order to maintain an oil temperature of 375ºF. Turn the tomato slices carefully with tongs in the order in which they entered the pan, and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove the fried green tomatoes to a platter or cutting board lined with paper towels to drain the fat. Sprinkle generously with finishing salt and freshly, coarsely ground black peppers. Top with pieces of honeycomb. Serve immediately.
IF SHALLOW PAN-FRYING:
1. Trim the tomatoes of their tops and bottoms to discard. Slice the trimmed tomatoes into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.
2. Add the flour to a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. Then beat the egg with a fork in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. Put the cornmeal in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. From left to right, line up the flour, egg mixture, and cornmeal, respectively.
ILOC tip: do not season the tomatoes before coating them. The salt will make them "sweat," which will prevent them from crisping. They will be seasoned once cooked and the taste will be outstanding! It's all about technique, not torture.
3. Dredge one tomato slice in the flour and shake off excess. Then dip the coated tomato into the beaten egg, using a fork, then lift directly into the cornmeal. With a dry hand, toss well to coat and set aside. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices.
4. Heat a shallow film (¼-inch) of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until the surface begins to shimmer. Place the coated tomato slices in the oil without crowding (frying batches if necessary). Fry on one side for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Turn each coin carefully with an offset spatula in the order in which they entered the pan, and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove the fried green tomatoes to a platter or cutting board lined with paper towels to drain the fat. Sprinkle generously with finishing salt and freshly, coarsely ground black pepper. Top with pieces of honeycomb. Serve immediately.
IF AIR-FRYING:
1. Trim the tomatoes of their tops and bottoms to discard. Slice the trimmed tomatoes into ¼-inch slices. Set aside.
2. Add the flour to a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. Then beat the egg with a fork in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. Put the cornmeal in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside. From left to right, line up the flour, egg mixture, and cornmeal, respectively.
ILOC tip: do not season the tomatoes before coating them. The salt will make them "sweat," which will prevent them from crisping. They will be seasoned once cooked and the taste will be outstanding! It's all about technique, not torture.
3. Dredge one tomato slice in the flour and shake off excess. Then dip the coated tomato into the beaten egg, using a fork, then lift directly into the cornmeal. With a dry hand, toss well to coat and set aside. Repeat with the remaining tomato slices.
4. Spray the coated tomatoes on both sides with a vegetable oil spray. Place the coated tomato slices in the basket of an air fryer. Fry at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, until the cornmeal coating is golden brown.
5. Remove the fried green tomatoes to a platter or cutting board lined with paper towels to drain the fat. Sprinkle generously with finishing salt and freshly, coarsely ground black peppers. Top with pieces of honeycomb. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
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