Fried green tomatoes

Roommie did something very kind for me the other day, and I wanted to thank her with one of her favorites: fried green tomatoes. I'm still not sure how I feel about (1) frying fruits and (2) frying unripe fruits, but I guess I can see how the contrast of a tart slice of tomato in crispy batter could be appealing.

Now, I've made these once before. You need four dipping stations: milk, flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, in that order, before letting the oil crisp them up in the pan. I was plumb out of milk and eggs. The grocery store within walking distance was closed, and I had no desire to drive to the shady 24-hour store, alone, at night. So I did a survery of possible substitutes. Water. Gatorade. Concentrated blueberry juice. 1 lone bottle of Bud Light with lime. Guess which I chose? Yup, and it would have to pull double-duty tonight, standing in for the milk and eggs.

First I let the tomatoes chillax in the beer...
Then dredged them in flour, beer again, and seasoned breadcrumbs I further adulterated with plenty of black pepper and a smidgen of cayenne...
Before giving them a toasty warm bath in olive oil, 30-60 seconds per side...


And, finally, a quick dusting of salt.
The result? Flour and breadcrumbs don't exactly cling to beer, so the batter was very light and delicate and allowed more of green tomato flavor than the standard milk-flour-egg-breadcrumbs routine does. Good if you want more tomato and less fried-up crispy goodness.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I have a dog? Not sure if you knew that.
He really likes flour, so I let him lick the bowls.

Recipe:
Green tomatoes, sliced to whatever thickness you prefer
1 bowl milk
1 bowl flour
1 bowl eggs, beaten
1 bowl seasoned breadcrumbs, plus any herbs/spices you want to add
Olive oil
Soak tomatoes in milk for 15 or so minutes. Dredge in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, being sure to coat both sides. Heat at least 1/4 inch oil in a pan. Drop each tomato in hot oil for about 30 seconds per side. I find it helpful to use a fork to flip. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt before serving.


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Usefulness of the day: Don't be stupid tomorrow. Leave the explosives to the pros, and no impaired driving, please. Thank you.