Side Orders: Time to use those green tomatoes

photo Anne Braly

If you've not yet pulled your tomato plants from the ground, it won't be long before winter's cold temps take over and force your hand. But before that happens, you may have lots of green tomatoes still clinging to the vines.

What to do? Do as many Southerners would do: Slice 'em, batter 'em up, heat up the frying pan and let 'em sizzle to a golden finish. There's nothing better than fried green tomatoes to complement a meal.

Few know better than Adam Roe, executive chef of the Chattanoogan, where fried green tomatoes are one of the more popular items on the menu, so much so, the kitchen at the hotel's Broad Street Grille goes through almost two bushels of green tomatoes every week. And what's interesting is that a number of guests staying at the Chattanoogan come from north of the Mason-Dixon Line and have never experienced the joys of fried green tomatoes.

"When they try them, they love them," Roe says.

One of his favorite ways to serve them is to top them with blue crab salad, a dish that raises fried green tomatoes to new heights. The acidity of the vinaigrette is counterbalanced by the sweetness of the crab.

"The dish has it all," Roe notes, but it starts with the fried green tomatoes. And in order to get the perfect taste and texture, they must be prepared correctly.

Flour, Roe says, makes a better batter than cornmeal. At Broad Street Grille, the slices are first dredged in flour, followed by an egg wash and finished with panko breadcrumbs with fresh herbs mixed in.

As witnessed at Broad Street Grille, there are numerous ways to enjoy fried green tomatoes that go beyond enjoying them as an appetizer or side dish. Another of Roe's favorites is fried green tomatoes topped with country ham and drizzled with hollandaise sauce.

But you'll find fried green tomatoes work equally well as a crunchy addition to a salad in place of croutons. They also make a great topping for a juicy, grilled burger and are lovely on a bed of greens topped with big shrimp and tangy remoulade sauce.

According to the "Old Farmer's Almanac," the first frost date will be Nov. 4, so you have a couple of weeks to gather your green tomatoes and get them in the fryer. Here's one of my favorite ways to serve them.

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches

3 medium sized green tomatoes

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 cup self-rising flour

1/4 cup of saltine cracker crumbs

Sourdough bread slices

Pimento cheese

Bacon slices, cooked crisp (see note)

Slice tomatoes 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick, set on paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Let rest for 5 minutes. Beat together the milk and egg in a small bowl; set aside. Whisk together the flour and cracker crumbs. Heat ½ inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk, then into the flour mixture, shake off excess and place into the hot oil. Cook until both sides are lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side; drain on paper towels.

To assemble sandwiches, grill bread slices in lightly greased skillet till slightly crisp. Remove from skillet and spread pimento cheese on one slice. Top with 2-3 fried green tomatoes, then add a slice or two of bacon. Top with another slice of bread, cut sandwiches on the diagonal. Repeat with remaining fried green tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Note: I used Benton's Bacon to make these sandwiches with excellent results. It can be purchased at the smokehouse in Madisonville, Tenn., online at bentonscountryhams2.com or locally at Pruett's on Signal Mountain.

Also, the amount of bacon, pimento cheese and bread you will need depends on how many fried green tomato slices you make. Three medium green tomatoes will make about 12 fried green tomato slices, enough for 4-5 sandwiches.

On the menu

Bonefish Grill recently debuted a completely new menu, introducing more than 20 new items, including bowls, steaks and chops to deluxe side dishes such as crab fried rice and porcini mushroom ravioli. Meat lovers can choose between a rib-eye steak or New York strip with such toppings as white truffle butter or creamy bacon mushroom sauce. Feeling more like seafood? The new Spicy Tuna Bowl is a refreshing plate of flavor with premium sushi grade ahi tuna, avocado, sweet chile sauce and passion fruit salsa all served over fluffy jasmine rice.

Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.

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