Key to the heart is a good plate of food: Fried Green Tomatoes

Nothing says, “Spring!” like good home cooking. It helps reduce stress, assures a healthy diet (if you choose healthy foods), and provides an opportunity to self-indulge or invite a few comrades or special family members just to say how much you appreciate their love and support (Hopefully, they help form your network of support.) Everybody likes to eat, and as my mother, Ms. Essie, liked to say, “The key to the heart is a good plate of food.” So without further delay, I’d like to start with one of my mother’s southern recipe favorites. This recipe has been passed down from Mississippi but tweaked. Let me know what you think. Or add one of your own.  Thanks for visiting and for listening in.   Emme

Fried Green Tomatoes

v    Tips

1. Buy organic, when possible.

2. Wash & slice tomatoes, dip in eggs, coat by dipping in flour.

3. Use a non-stick skillet and fry in canola oil. Do not stack tomatoes.

4. After both sides of tomato are brown, remove tomatoes & don’t burn.

5. Cool tomatoes on a large plate lined with a paper towel to absorb oil.

6. Using substitute eggs creates varying results.*

7. Drenching egg-dipped tomatoes in corn meal creates different results.*

8. If tomatoes are not fried crisp or appear soggy, your heat is too low.

9. If fire is too hot, tomatoes will burn. Watch tomatoes carefully.

10. If skillet collects flour residue, burning results. Stop cooking and

remove all residue with a clean with paper towel (between intervals of frying).

v    Preparation

1. Prepare tomatoes as directed (below).

2. Fry in hot oil at medium heat so as not to burn tomatoes.

3. Brown tomatoes on both sides and carefully remove from skillet w/ spatula.

4. Place browned tomatoes on a large plate or platter to cool and absorb oil.

5. Transfer to serving dish lined with ornate paper towel.

v    Recipe

1. Slice five (5) green and firm tomatoes (sliced only).

2. Beat two (2) fresh eggs (with or w/o the yolk) in a bowl.

3. Add light salt and paper and beat again.

4. Pour or sift ½ to 1 cup of flour into another bowl. Set aside.

5. Dip a handful of sliced tomatoes into egg wash and set aside.

6. Heat oil in skillet to medium hot. Do not burn.

7. Dip each egg-washed tomato slice in flour (individually).

8. Place several in hot skillet together, brown each side.

9. Remove slices and cool on a paper-towel lined dished.

v    Serving

1. Stack tomatoes and serve on lettuce and home sweet pickles.
Add ranch dressing and top with parsely. Goes well with anything.

2. If fried in corn meal, serve with ketchup or vinegar and sea food.

3. Serve in a sandwich with home sweet pickles and ranch dressing.

4. Serve with sweet tea and lemon (southern style) or a favorite beverage.

5. Add a side salad with a favorite dressing—or not.