Every summer I buy green tomatoes. Every summer I say I’m going to deep fry them. Every summer I get randomly intimidated by the idea, and I don’t.
This summer, I finally did.
What the hell was wrong with me? They’re super easy to fry, the coating is amazing, and they’re perfect for a quick appetizer.
I combined them with a decent amount of blackening spice and served them with a chipotle dipping sauce.
These guys had some heat, which worked really well with the citrus flavor of the tomatoes.
So, since they’re cheap and plentiful – buy a bunch of green tomatoes and play with them. Don’t be intimidated. You won’t regret it. In fact, you’ll love them.
Blackened Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
- 2 large green tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1-2 teaspoons blackening seasoning
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup half-and-half or milk
- Peanut oil
Instructions:
Salt the tomatoes, and let them sit for 5 minutes. (This draws out excess water.)
Combine the panko, flour, parmesan, parsley, and desired amount of blackening seasoning in a medium bowl.
In a second bowl, whisk the egg and half-and-half together.
Pour ½-inch of oil in a medium frying pan.
Heat the oil over medium heat, until a bit of panko browns immediately sizzles and turns brown within a few seconds.
Pat the tomatoes dry with a paper towel.
Place the tomatoes into the egg mixture, and then dredge through the panko mixture. Press well to adhere.
Fry the tomatoes for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip, and brown on the second side.
Drain on paper towels.
Chipotle Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon finely diced onion
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve immediately, or refrigerate to let flavors meld for 1 hour.
(Photos by Launie K.)
