As our vegetable growing season is nearing its end and so are tomatoes as they stop turning red. The big question is how to make the most of the home grown green tomatoes. Historically many folks made green tomato pickle or mincemeat.
One of the easiest methods to ripen green tomatoes is to pick them and bring them in to ripen on the kitchen counter or wrap each in newspaper and place them in a box in a cool area. Another is to dig up the entire plant, shake the soil off the roots and hang it upside down in a cold room in the basement or garage out of direct sunlight. The warmer the location you hang them, the sooner the tomatoes will ripen.
Fried Green Tomatoes with Herb Sauce
3 – 4 whole unripe green tomatoes, cut out stem end
1/2 cup (125 mL) buttermilk or half plain yogurt and half milk
Pinch sugar, salt and pepper
1/3 cup (75 mL) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 mL) yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) paprika
Pinch hot pepper flakes or smoked Spanish paprika
2 – 3 tablespoons (25 – 40 mL) vegetable oil for frying – some people like to use bacon dripping.s
1. Cut tomatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch (1 cm) thick slices. Place buttermilk in shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, paprika and hot pepper. Use tongs to dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk then dredge them in the seasoned flour to coat well patting the mixture onto the tomato slices. Set tomatoes aside on cake rack over baking sheet or parchment-lined baking sheet to dry. 2. In a large skillet, heat tablespoon oil over medium heat. Use tongs to add tomatoes to hot pan. Fry tomato slices in batches for about 2 – 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until slices are tender. When tomatoes are done, use tongs to transfer them to the cake rack and keep warm in a warm oven.
3. Serve tomatoes accompanied with the herb sauce.
Herb Sauce
¼ cup (50 mL) pure mayonnaise
1/2 cup (125 mL) plain yogurt – low fat Greek plain yogurt is ideal
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon (15 mL) drained capers, chopped
¼ teaspoon (1 mL) Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons (25 mL) finely chopped – parsley, sage and or chives
Season to taste with salt and pepper
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, onion, capers, Tabasco sauce, herbs and season with salt and pepper.
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