Fried Green Tomatoes with Tomato Brown Sugar Chutney

by Lynne on July 14, 2011

Post image for Fried Green Tomatoes with Tomato Brown Sugar Chutney

Fried Green Tomatoes with Tomato Brown Sugar Chutney1

Have you ever gotten up in the morning and said to yourself, today I have got to make me some fried green tomatoes? Yeah, me neither. In fact I never even ate my first fried green tomato until I was about 45 years old, and it was this very recipe with the tomato chutney. I guess if you grew up in the South, where they are part of the fabric of life, you would be eating this traditional side dish frequently. But I made it once, liked it very much, especially with this killer chutney, and then moved on to the next culinary experiment. But I filed it in my mental file of great recipes that I would like to do again some time in the future.

One of the impediments to making fried green tomatoes is that the local grocery markets don’t carry them here in California. I could have made a midnight foray to my neighbor’s tomato plants, I suppose, but opted to try to get my gourmet market, Bristol Farms, to get some for me. That didn’t pan out either.

So last Saturday, my friend and fellow blogger Adair, of Lentil Breakdown fame, and I walked over to the Torrance Farmers Market, which is two blocks from my new house. We made an initial scouting tour first to see what was available, and lo and behold, hidden behind the containers of big red ripe tomatoes was one little container of, you guessed it, GREEN TOMATOES. Yes!! I think I started jumping up and down and doing fist pumps. Ok, I’m a weirdo. I bought them immediately to make sure I had them firmly in hand. I could hardly wait to get them home and get started on my Fried Green Tomato Project.

Fried Green Tomatoes 2

In New Orleans, fried green tomatoes are sometimes served with Shrimp Remoulade, a Creole mayonnaise based sauce, so I decided to include some shrimp in my dish. I sprinkled them with Old Bay Seasoning and sautéed them in butter.

Fried Green Tomatoes 3

Fried green tomatoes, by themselves, are not pretty or photogenic. They are brown and sort of lumpy and wrinkled, and the beautiful green tomato inside is hidden by the buttermilk and flour coating. However, the Tomato Brown Sugar Chutney is lustrous with the deep colors of caramelized sugar and tomatoes. It looks like jewels spread atop the brown crusty cloak of the fried green tomato. And the flavor of the sweet chutney with the tart tomato is sublime.

I think very soon you are going to wake up one morning and say to yourself, today I have got to make me some fried green tomatoes!

Fried Green Tomatoes 4

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Tomato and Brown Sugar Chutney

Makes about 2 cups

(1) 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, including juice
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 green bell peppers, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 drops Tabasco
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. In a heavy saucepan stir together all ingredients. I used my mini Cuisinart to finely mince the bell peppers and onion.

2. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 2 hours.

3. Cool chutney and serve as an accompaniment to fried green tomatoes, or almost any vegetable.

Note: Chutney keeps 2 weeks, covered, chilled.

Fried Green Tomatoes

4 to 6 Servings

1 ½ cups well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ cups flour
2 tablespoons corn meal
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 large green tomatoes, cut into 3/8-inch-thick slices

2 cups vegetable oil

1. In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, 1 tablespoon flour, salt and pepper. Immerse tomato slices in mixture.

2. In a large flat bowl whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, corn meal, salt and pepper.

3. In a large 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium high heat until a candy thermometer registers 350 degrees F.

4. Making sure each tomato slice is thoroughly coated with buttermilk, dredge tomato slices, one at a time, in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Fry tomatoes in batches of 6 (do not crowd skillet) until golden brown and crisp on both sides.

5. Transfer tomato slices to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with kosher salt.

6. Serve immediately with tomato chutney.

{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

polwig July 15, 2011 at 7:05 am

I do wake up quite often hoping to eat some fried green tomatoes. I never had them prior to moving to Virginia and now I order them every time they are on the menu. I love the shrimp addition.

Lentil Breakdown July 15, 2011 at 8:16 am

Wow, I should’ve slept over till you made these! I grew up in the South (well Texas, anyway) and never had fried green tomatoes (unless they were in a t.v. dinner). Thanks for the fun read. Was chuckling all the way to the fridge. And then disappointment ensued.

Nancy Gorny July 16, 2011 at 7:15 am

Oh my gosh! My Mother had a garden and six kids. No wonder for the garden? But she would make fried green tomatoes all the time. They were soooo good Thank you so much for reminding me how wonderful mom’s cooking was.
Nancy

Kim July 17, 2011 at 10:30 pm

Well Lynne… Until I saw that photo, I wasn’t sure I’d ever wake up thinking “today, I’m going to make some fried green tomatoes.”

I stare at the ceiling at night and think of ways I can make up beautiful dishes. You must do the same?

[K]

Nancy@acommunaltable July 18, 2011 at 6:53 pm

Like you I didn’t have fried green tomatoes until a bit later in life and I am now hooked. The chutney would sell me on anything as well!!! One of these days may have to join you at the Torrance Farmer’s Market – my old stomping grounds!

Magic of Spice July 19, 2011 at 3:16 pm

I just happen to have several green tomatoes and I love this recipe!

Rosemary Mullally August 29, 2011 at 10:48 pm

Those are truly scrumptious. I want to make them, I just have to see if my neighbor has green tomatoes. None in the market.

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