My southern mother considered green tomatoes a real boon in the garden. Sometimes she was overzealous in picking them, frying them up and leaving none for salads or BLTs. Some years ago, after mother came to live with us, she expressed a taste for fried green tomatoes. We made the appropriate purchase and she instructed me on the preparation of the green beauties.
On the day we were to lunch on the tomatoes, our dear Hungarian friend, Judith G. called to ask what we were doing for lunch. Judith was a cooking instructor and caterer. She had been to a chefs' meeting the night before and had brought home fresh ostrich from a demonstration at the meeting. When I told her mother and I were having fried green tomatoes, she said she'd be right over with the ostrich and would prepare it to accompany the tomatoes. And that is how we came to lunch upon sauteed ostrich and fried green tomatoes on a summer's day in the midwest.
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
(Recipe from my mother and me)
2 nice, firm green tomatoes (or more if you like)
salt and pepper
flour
egg, beaten
corn meal or plain bread crumbs
vegetable oil for frying
In full disclosure, my only change to mother's recipe is the use of bread crumbs instead of corn meal.
Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick.
Salt and pepper both sides.
Dredge the slices in flour and shake off.
Dip the slices in the beaten egg.
Dredge the slices in the bread crumbs.
Over medium-high flame, heat the oil until hot.
Fry (mother never "sauteed") the tomatoes until lightly browned on both sides.
ENJOY!
