Fried Green Tomatoes - Friday

I love me some good ol' fashioned fried green tomatoes!

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized green tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I sometimes add a bit of dried basil, salt & garlic powder to this)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs ( I love using panko or crushed croutons)
• 1¼ cup yellow cornmeal

Instructions

1. Slice tomatoes into ¼- 1/2 inch slices.
2. Place tomatoes on several layers of paper towels.
3. Mix together salt, sugar, black pepper & basil in a small bowl.
4. Sprinkle tomatoes generously with spice mixture ( may not need all of it) and let sit for about 10-15 minutes to allow the extra tomato juices to drain out.
5. Meanwhile, prepare your dipping station! In one bowl, add the flour.
6. In another bowl mix together the buttermilk and egg.
7. In the last bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and yellow cornmeal.
8. Start by dipping the tomatoes slices into the flour on both sides and shaking off the excess flour. (be sure to get the sides as well)
9. Lay the slices into the egg mixture until both sides are coated with the mixture and flour no longer shows.
10. Place the tomato slices into the breadcrumb mixture and press to coat both sides evenly.
11. Let tomatoes sit for about 5 minutes to allow the coating to set.
12. Heat oil in a skillet until hot. (Do a test with a bread crumb first to make sure the oil is at the right temperature. The breadcrumb should begin to fry evenly immediately when placed in the oil.)
13. Place tomatoes into the skillet, without crowding the pan.
14. Fry each side for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown.
15. Place on a cooling rack with paper towels below to absorb the excess oil that drips off.
16. Serve hot.

(Recipe via: Divas Can Cook. I do not own any of the content posted above)