(Original Post Date: March 8, 2010)
So I was at Trader Joe’s the other day, and right now they have these big cartons of heirloom tomatoes (about $5 per large carton). You know, those imperfectly shaped, oddly striped, green/yellow/red tomatoes that you only ever see in a garden, but never at the actual market? (They look weird, but they more than make up for it in flavor.)
It’s been years since I’ve found a tomato like that in a mainstream market – I’m used to the mushy, grainy, dark pink, not-quite-red varieties sitting for weeks in a jumbo heap under supermarket fluorescent lights. I much prefer a tomato bred for flavor over shelf-life, but it’s almost impossible to find them unless you have a local farm stand or farmer’s market nearby. My husband insists that he hates tomatoes – but because he has never had the experience of eating a vine-ripened tomato, picked right off the vine – I don’t really believe him. Those yucky “zombie” tomatoes at the supermarket don’t really count as true tomatoes, in my opinion.
So what was I going to make with these incredible heirloom tomatoes? Fried green (and yellow) tomatoes, of course!
Fried Heirloom Tomatoes:
- 2-3 large green or yellow heirloom tomatoes
- 2 T. unsalted butter
- 1 T. canola oil
- salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
- 1/2 c. cornmeal
1. Slice tomatoes 1/4 inches thick.
2. Sprinkle both sides of tomato slices with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
3. Heat the butter and canola oil in a 12 inch cast iron skilled over medium heat.
4. Put the cornmeal on a plate and coat each side of the tomato slices, tapping down lightly.
5. Fry the slices on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and fry another 2 minutes until done.
6. Serve with hot sauce. (Or enjoy plain!)
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