FGT!! I have loved these for years. In Northern and Midwest states its difficult to get these treasures other than the summer time. I used to visit the Farmer’s Markets in St. Louis and could find them from spring until late summer.
Before moving to Texas my brother in law told me that there is a place that has the best Chicken Fried Steak ever. When we visited before moving we decided to try the Cotton Patch Cafe. They specialized in Southern comfort food. While looking through the menu I saw “Fried Green Tomatoes”. Nostalgia was re-ignited. This is as southern as it gets. Partially ripe tomatoes dipped in corn meal batter and pan fried to perfection. Luckily I found a farmer’s market that has access to them all year.
My Dad used to make these and it was a delight for kids who didn’t want to eat veggies. After all, it’s a tomato. Who would sign on to eating tomatoes unless they came in the form of french fries.
The key to great FGTs is to slice the tomatoes about 1/3″ to 1/2″. Slice them too small and you are eating batter and grease. The second tip is to make sure that once you slice them that you wrap them in paper towels to get any extra water out of them. They will not be crispy if you do not take this step.
I like to season them with a light dusting of salt before wrapping them in paper towels. That will help draw out more moisture. Put them in the fridge and let them sit for a couple of hours. Start heating your oil before you start the batter process so that the tomatoes stay firm while frying. Enjoy!!
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 TB Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into medium size slices
- Vegetable or Canola oil
Instructions:
Slice your tomatoes about 1/3 of an inch thick. Any smaller and you will have more seasoning than tomato.
Once sliced lay each piece on a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt, top with another paper towel and press firmly. This will help pull all of the excess moisture out of the tomatoes.
Stick plate into the fridge and let the tomatoes rest for at least an hour.
Add flour and seasoning to a small bowl and mix. Beat egg and to a separate bowl along with milk. Finally add cornmeal to another bowl or plate.
Heat oil to 350 degrees in a medium sized saucepan. The oil only needs to be about 1/2″ to 3/4″deep.
Remove tomatoes from the refrigerator. Dredge in the flour mixture, then the egg/milk mixture, and finally to the corn meal. Set aside.
Once oil is hot add 3-4 pieces to the oil. Be sure not to crowd the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes and flip. Fry for another 1-2 minutes and remove to an elevated cooling rack.
Let cool for about 5 minutes and serve with alone or with a Ranch dipping sauce.