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Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing

Source of Recipe

From "Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen" by Sara Foster


Recipe Introduction

"I've shared recipes for fried green tomatoes before, but each time I've tried to gussy them up by adding herbs or layering them with other ingredients. I like those dishes, of course, but the fact is there is something wonderful about making fried green tomatoes the way my mother and grandmother made them — that is, simply. Stripped of non-essentials, the warm tartness of green tomatoes, tempered by a hint of sugar, and the toasted crunch of cornmeal crust shine through in perfect balance."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
â—¦ 1 large egg
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ ½ cup yellow cornmeal
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sugar
â—¦ 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
â—¦ Canola oil, for frying
â—¦ 4 large green tomatoes, cored and sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
â—¦ ½ cup Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing (recipe follows)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 200° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a brown paper bag.

Place the buttermilk and egg in a shallow bowl and whisk to combine. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate shallow bowl and stir to mix.

Pour canola oil into a large skillet to just barely cover the bottom and place over medium-high heat until sizzling hot.

One at a time, dip the tomato slices first in the buttermilk mixture and then in the flour mixture to coat both sides, shaking off any excess. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, carefully place 4 to 6 tomato slices in the hot oil and fry until the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. (Wait until the slices get nice and crispy before flipping them over only once; if you flip them any more, the coating will fall off.)

Use tongs or a slotted spatula to transfer the fried tomatoes to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Place in the oven to keep warm and repeat the process with the remaining tomato slices. Season with additional salt and pepper and serve warm with the dressing drizzled over the top or on the side.

Serves 6 to 8



Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing:

"A classic of the West Coast, this dressing was created in the 1920s by San Francisco's Palace Hotel in honor of a play by the same name. With buttermilk standing in for sour cream, my 'Southern' version is light, tangy, and chock-full of green herbs. It's the quintessential spring and summer dressing, and because it's all about using the freshest herbs — whether dill, chervil, sorrel, or cilantro — I almost never make it the same way twice."

â—¦ ½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
â—¦ ¼ cup your favorite or homemade mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 small Kirby cucumber, peeled and chopped
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
â—¦ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
â—¦ Juice of ½ lime
â—¦ 4 or 5 fresh basil or celery leaves
â—¦ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the buttermilk, mayonnaise, cucumber, chives, tarragon, mustard, lime juice, and basil in a blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, or for up to 1 week.

Makes about 1 cup