Fried Green Tomatoes: Vegetarian Day 1

Yesterday marked Day 1 on my "eat vegetarian for 30 days on my  40 by 40 challenge list. 

 My garden is full of lots of green tomatoes, most of which the birds or bugs will eat sometime before they turn red, so I thought I would make "Fried Green Tomatoes".  I also thought it would easier passing off vegetables to the fam if I fried them first.  I combined a few recipes to get this one:

6 medium green tomatoes
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk (or if you're out use regular milk and add 1/2 TB. lemon juice and wait 5 minutes until it curdles)
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian ones)
1/2 cup corn meal
oil ( I used 1/2 canola and 1/2 olive)


Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle w/ salt and pepper and set aside (one recipe said to let them sit for 5 minutes).  Preheat oil on medium heat. #1 Mix flour w/ peppers, mustard and salt in a shallow dish.  #2 In a second shallow dish beat together egg and milk.  #3 In a third dish mix bread crumbs and cornmeal. 


Dip each tomato slice in #1, #2, #3 and then fry 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.  Sprinkle w/ salt if desired.


Even though, I've lived most of my life in the south, I've never eaten these before, and I expected the tomatoes to be tangy (like an unripe apple).  I was wrong, they taste more like fried zucchini.  We ate them plain, dipped in ranch, or drizzled w/ a little balsamic vinegar (my favorite).  


  I'm not sure how terribly healthy they were, but they were pretty darn tasty. My son even like them, but told me that if I substituted potatoes they would be awesome:)  




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