Fried Green Tomato BLTs Recipe

 An Appetizer, A Sandwich, An Adventure

This recipe for fried green tomatoes is delicious as an appetizer, and even better served with a dipping sauce, but if you’re in the mood for Adventure AND a Sandwich, how about a Fried Green Tomato BLT? This recipe is actually three recipes, and you can stop at any point you desire, or take it all the way by making all three. The fried green tomatoes are great. The sauce makes them even better. The sandwich makes the whole thing a delicious meal.

Green Tomatoes are Just Unripened Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are a southern tradition that has gained popularity as an appetizer in restaurants, but really, the idea probably came about because one September, when the days were growing shorter, and the tomato plants were shutting down for the season, someone noticed the last of the tomatoes were still green. Necessity being the mother of invention, that frugal cook sliced those unripened hard green orbs, dipped them in flour, egg, and cornmeal or breadcrumbs, and fried them up. Everyone remembered the treat the following year, and picked those tomatoes early, on purpose. And thus, a tradition was born.

Emerald Orbs of Ecstasy

Coat them in flour, then dip in an egg wash, then dredge them in seasoned cornmeal.

Fried Green Tomato BLT Sandwich, with a slightly spicy remoulade sauce.

Fried Green Tomato BLT Sandwich

Ingredients for the Fried Green Tomatoes:

4 tomatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 T. garlic powder
4 eggs
2 T. milk
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 t. smoked paprika
canola oil for frying (1/2″ deep in your skillet)

Ingredients for the Remoulade Sauce:

1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 t. chipotle chile powder
1 T. stoneground mustard
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. freshly chopped chives

Ingredients for the Sandwich:

8 slices of sandwich bread, toasted
arugula
8 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp
Fried Green Tomatoes
Remoulade Sauce

Directions:

For the Remoulade Sauce:

Make it first, to give the flavors time to meld.  Combine all remoulade ingredients, and allow it to chill in the refrigerator, until the sandwiches are ready to be assembled.

For the Fried Green Tomatoes:

Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and set them on a rack over a baking sheet. This will give the salt several minutes to draw out any excess liquid from the tomatoes before you fry them.
You will need 3 separate shallow bowls to set up your frying station.
In the first bowl, mix the flour with the garlic powder.
In the second bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the milk.
In the third bowl, mix the cornmeal with the cayenne and smoked paprika.
Set up your bowls in this order: first, the bowl of flour. Second, the egg wash. Third, the seasoned cornmeal.
Dredge each tomato slice through the flour mixture, then through the egg mixture, and finally through the cornmeal mixture.
Heat oil in a skillet until it shimmers.
Add only a few slices of battered tomatoes at a time into the skillet of canola oil. Cook for approximately 2 – 3 minutes per side.
Drain on paper towels.

To Assemble Sandwiches:

Spread each side of toast with remoulade sauce. Top one side with tomatoes, a few strips of bacon, and some arugula.

Share The Deliciousness With Those You Love!

If you’ve ever wanted to try the Southern specialty known as Fried Green Tomatoes, please,  save or share this recipe! Pin it to Pinterest, or share it on Facebook with someone you love, who’ll fix them for you!!! Tweets are terrific, too.