Tinfoil Chef

No, I’m not about to talk about an old movie that I haven’t actually seen. This is a treat that goes good as a side dish, in sandwiches for lunch or a snack or just because you gotta have ‘em.

The basic recipe is really easy. They’re fried in either oil, bacon drippings or a combination of the two. I like Olive oil in most things that need oil so I would use that for it’s flavor and ability to stand higher temperatures and bacon grease for it’s flavor. in all you want about a quarter inch or so of hot oil in the frying pan when you start.

The tomatoes should be green and firm without being hard. If they’re starting to turn red that’s fine, Ripe tomatoes are good this way too. Slice them anywhere from a half inch to a quarter inch thick.

Season them with salt and pepper then dip them in cornmeal and place (carefully) in the hot oil.

Cook for two to three minutes or until they’re golden brown on the bottom, then turn ‘em over and brown the other side.

They make a great side for breakfast or any meal really. I’ve enjoyed them just by themselves with nothing else but a fork and loved every bite.

Some variations on this include mixing some general purpose flour to the cornmeal (maybe season that mixture with a bit of salt and pepper) or crack an egg into bowl, add a bit of milk (or buttermilk if you prefer) and dip the tomatoes in that mixture before coating them. You could even make up a batter and deep-fry them.

You can also use other things besides green (or red) tomatoes. Dill pickle spears, {insert your favorite veggie here}, little smokies or even Vienna sausages