FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Although the ever adventuresome thomas Jefferson was growing tomatoes in 1782, it was not till well into the nineteenth century that the general public fully overcame the universal fear of tomatoes as poisonous and the vegetable (actually a fruit) developed the same popularity it enjoys today.Southern fried green tomatoes evolved simply as a breakfast or supper dish to be made with the season’s last fresh tomatoes that refused to ripen before being hit by frost. I can still see my maternal grandmother coming back into the house on chilly fall mornings with her hands full of green tomatoes, which she’d proceed to slice and fry up in pure bacon grease.Today, like most sensible Southerners, I opt for peanut or vegetable oil for frying tomatoes, but rest assured that fried green tomatoes just wouldn’t be the same without at least a tablespoon of bacon grease added to the oil for flavor. Personally, I’ve always loved the tomatoes primarily for breakfast (along with, of course, eggs, sausage, grits, and fresh biscuits), but after having them recently as an appetizer before attacking the copious Southern lunch buffet at the famous Lady & Sons restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, I could be about to change my mind.

MAKES: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 medium green tomatoes
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups white or yellow cornmeal
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Peanut oil for frying
• 1 to 2 tablespoons bacon grease

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut out and discard the stems of the tomatoes, then cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
2. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs with the milk.
3. Combine the cornmeal, salt, and pepper in another shallow dish.
4. Dip the tomato slices in the egg mixture, dredge them lightly in the cornmeal, and place the slices on a baking sheet.
5. Cover the tomato slices with plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
6. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil plus the bacon grease over moderately high heat until a little cornmeal flicked into the fat sputters.
7. In batches, fry the tomato slices until golden, about 1 minute on each side.
8. Drain the fried tomatoes on paper towels and keep them warm on a platter until ready to serve.