By August the tomatoes in your garden should be plentiful. However, if you find the weather is starting to cool down and you have a bunch of unripened tomatoes, have I got the recipe for you!
This is the perfect appetizer at the end of the tomato season when you have green tomatoes left on the vine but frost is setting in. The green tomatoes are unripe tomatoes, not a special heirloom type. I prefer the combination of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and the traditional cornmeal. To help the coating stick, dip them in flour, egg and then breadcrumbs; this is called the standard breading procedure.
Fried Green Tomatoes with Basil Remoulade
4 large green tomatoes
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
Canola oil for frying
Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
Whisk eggs and milk together. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal and bread crumbs on another plate. Salt and pepper tomatoes and dip into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
In a large skillet, pour oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes; they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.
Remoulade
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbls. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. garlic
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbls. capers; chopped
1 Tbls. chopped basil
Mix together above ingredients.