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Unless you're either a fan of Paula Deen or a southerner yourself, foods like fried green tomatoes and pimento cheese might seem a bit foreign to you. And southerners are known for using what they have on hand to make a meal. Fried green tomatoes became a staple of southern cuisine because green tomatoes aren't that tasty unless you fry them. But the dish turned out impeccably and it shows up on nearly every menu across the southeast.
You've likely heard of pimento cheese as a staple at the Master's Tournament each year. Again, another relatively unknown food across the rest of the country. Recently, I was at Mr. Friendly's, a restaurant in Columbia, S.C. where I ordered fried green tomato and pimento cheese stacks for an appetizer. I was then motivated to give this dish a try at home.
Make sure that your local, farmers' market fried green tomatoes are ripe, even though you'll be frying them, because if not the dish will likely be ruined.
Fried Green Tomatoes
4 local green tomatoes
Sea salt and pepper to taste
½ cup organic cornmeal
vegetable oil
Method
- Slice the tomatoes into ¼ - ½-inch slices.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Dip in cornmeal and fry in 1 inch of oil for three minutes on each side.
Pimento Cheese
1 cup Happy Cow sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ cup organic Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 clove of garlic, roasted and minced
½ 4-ounce jar of pimentos, chopped
2 tbsp homemade mayonnaise
Method
- Add the ingredients (except the mayo) to the blender and pulse until the mix is still very chunky.
- Add to a large bowl and top with mayo. Use your hands to gently combine.
- Refrigerate for an hour.
Put the stack together: Start with one fried green tomato and top with a large dollop of pimento cheese. Continue until you're done with the tomatoes.
Learn all about how and why to eat green.
More Recipes:
Emeril Green: Southern Cooked Greens
Emeril Recipes Vegetables and Sides
Emeril Recipes
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