Green Tomatoes

This morning Xtine brought me a bag of green tomatoes from the Farmers Market. Then Ryan returned from Clarksburg bearing several more from Grandma Virginia's garden. So I have three pounds of green tomatoes! It's like I died and woke up in the Summerland!


My Seester recently made some fried green tomatoes, so I was inspired to serve my family fried green tomato sandwiches. My recipe is as follows:

1. Make some bacon! I baked it in the oven on a cooling rack sitting in a sheet pan. My boss at work suggests omitting the rack, but I think the rack makes the bacon less greasy. Reserve all the bacon grease and drain the bacon on paper towels.


2. Mix up some flour, black pepper, salt and a little bit of sugar in a dish. I don't measure stuff, I just eyeball it. In another dish, mix equal parts cornmeal and bread crumbs. In yet another dish whisk together 2 eggs and some milk.


3. Dip tomato slices (about 1 cm thick) into egg, then flour, then egg again, then cornmeal mixture.


4. In your cast iron skillet combine equal parts bacon grease and olive oil. It needs to coat the pan but not much more than that. Heat over medium high heat till a drop of water dramatically explodes. Fry the breaded tomatoes over medium low heat till they reach the desired color. Drain on paper towels.

5. On the rolls of your choice (whole wheat shown here), layer a tomato slice, some bacon, a leaf of nice lettuce, and any condiments you desire (such as spicy brown mustard). I like to add swiss cheese, but we didn't have any.

The boys LOVED this, and both went back for seconds. The highest compliment a cook can receive.

And of course, Seester, all prepared in and served on Fiestaware. :)