Goodbye Garden: Cooking Up the Last Fried Green Tomatoes

I cooked up the last of the green tomatoes a few days ago. They keep pretty long in the refrigerator, but it was time for them to go. And with that we say goodbye to our garden produce this year. I made fried green tomato sandwiches with bacon, pickles, and chipotle mayonnaise.

First I sliced the tomatoes about 1/2 inch thick.

Then I put some flour in one bowl and some egg (slightly beaten) in a second bowl. In a third bowl I mixed some cornmeal with some salt and pepper.

I dipped the tomatoes in the flour, and then the egg wash, and then the cornmeal mixture.

Next I heated up a little canola oil in my cast iron skillet. And I fried the tomatoes to a nice golden brown on both sides. I drained them on paper towels.

While they were frying I microwaved a few slices of bacon. I also mixed a little chipotle sauce with some mayonnaise. And I got out the dill pickles.

To make the sandwhiches, I toasted some bread. Then I put on two or three of the fried green tomatoes, a little of of the chipotle mayonnaise, and a couple of slices of bacon. The Husband and I really enjoyed these. Yum!

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches

I prefer flavorful heirloom tomatoes in this recipe. Use tomatoes which are not at all ripe. They should be firm and crunchy.

Ingredients  

• 4 green tomatoes
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• salt and pepper to taste
• canola oil
• 8 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup mayonaise
• 1 tbsp chipolte sauce
• dill pickles
• 8 slices sandwich bread

Instructions 

1. Cut the green tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices.
2. Put 1/2 cup flour in one bowl.
3. Put the beaten egg in another bowl.
4. In a third bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, the cornmeal, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Heat the canola oil in a heavy skillet.
6. Dredge the tomato slices in the flour and then the egg. Dredge in the cornmeal and flour mixture.
7. Fry the tomatoes in the hot oil until golden brown.
8. Cook the bacon.
9. Mix the mayonaise and chipolte sauce.
10. Assemble the sandwiches, using the bread, chipolte mixture, several fried green tomatoes, a couple of pieces of bacon, and dill pickles.
11. Enjoy!

Notes

If your tomatoes are large, 2 or 3 might suffice.