Chefs at Market: Fried Green Tomatoes

Tomato plants don’t just stop producing fruit (yes, fruit: you can Google it) on Labor Day. Juicy red local tomatoes continue right through the month of September. However, when the evenings start to get cool toward the end of the calendar summer, it becomes clear that a few of the tomatoes on the vine will never turn red. Never fear. Our neighbors to the south have invented fried green tomatoes. This simple dish celebrates the firmness and tartness of under ripe tomatoes. Look for a mouthwateringly juicy payoff under a crisp, hard-fried shell.

• 3 medium, firm green tomatoes
• Salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (optional)
• 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup peanut oil or other vegetable oil

Cut the unpeeled tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle slices with salt. Let tomato slices stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place in separate shallow bowls: the flour and Cajun seasoning (if using), buttermilk and egg, and bread crumbs and cornmeal.

Heat the peanut oil in a skillet on medium heat. Beat the egg and the buttermilk together. Dip tomato slices in the flour-seasoning mix, then buttermilk-egg mixture, then the cornmeal-bread crumb mix. In the skillet, fry half of the coated tomato slices at a time, for 3–5 minutes on each side or until brown. Place the cooked tomatoes on paper towels to drain. These are fantastic with a little Tabasco sauce or remoulade.