I've been playing around with a VLF version of one of my all-time
favorite things to eat :
fried green tomatoes. I just love them! And since I introduced my
yankee husband to them, he's fallen for them, too.
Usually, they're fried in enough oil to make them float once they start
sizzling, which means about an inch or more. So, I've been trying to
bake them. To be honest, I usually use a mix for the batter, since no
batter I've ever made has ever stuck to anything I wanted it to stick to
(except counters, floors, etc.). I use a mix designed for frying green
tomatoes.
I use a vegetable oil spray on a large baking sheet and bake them at
about 350 for as long as it takes to get them golden brown on each side.
They do have to be turned. For some reason unknown to me, the baking
time seems to vary from batch to batch. But you can count on about half
an hour or more total.
Batter for fried green tomatoes is always a cornmeal-based one. Many
have wheat flours of various kinds added, as well. A friend of mine uses
beer (always stale!) for the liquid. You can actually use whatever
appeals to your own taste. I've had them fried in whole wheat pastry
flour (which I didn't like, but I've been eating fried green tomatoes my
whole life --- someone else might like them).
If anyone is interested, I'll post when I get this method down more
clearly. In the meantime, if anyone else can refine it, I'd sure
appreciate hearing about it.
Fried (baked) green tomatoes are especially good with red beans & rice or
with some savory tempeh (White Wave's Sea Veggie tempeh is wonderful with
green tomatoes), or with Hoppin' John.
You might also check around for a recipe for a salsa that uses green
tomatoes (always pre-cooked). I've had it, and it's wonderful, but I
couldn't can something if my life depended on it.
Debby in St. Augustine, fighting of the September swarms of Lovebugs
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