Thursday, September 4, 2008

Flavor of the South

During my visit to Louisiana I got to try something I've always wanted to try. Fried Green tomatoes. Not only did I have fried green tomatoes, but I have them covered in a garlic beurre blanc sauce with shrimp and bacon. It was to die for. So when I came home I had to make it. I had to figure out how I could cook this wonderful dish myself as I couldn't live with the fact that eating it once in my life was going to be it. So I went on a mad hunt for recipes and none of them was exactly what I ate, but I got the idea. And what came of it.....a taste bud turning, mouth watering, lick the plate clean recipe. Seriously, if you try any of the recipes I post, try this one. It's that good. My tummy doesn't handle fried food well...but this is absolutely worth it to me.
Also, it takes a little time, but again it's worth it.

Fried Green Tomatoes in Shrimp Beurre Blanc

Beurre Blanc:
Whole garlic
3/4-1 cup dry white wine (When I'm cooking I always use what I have in the house to drink, not grocery store wine. I've heard that if you won't drink it, it's not good to cook with either.)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 pound medium shrimp
1 1/2 cups-2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 -1/2 cup butter
4 or 5 slices of cooked bacon crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
coarse salt and pepper to taste

First roast a whole garlic by cutting the top off. Put it on a pan covered in tin foil and drizzle olive oil over the top. Bake at 350 degree for about 25 minutes. It's done when you can just squeeze the cloves out and they are soft.

Saute shrimp in a little butter until pink and set to the side.

Squeeze garlic cloves into pan and add wine and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat until it's reduced by about 50% to 75%. Add whipping cream and simmer on medium low heat for about 10 to15 minutes. It will thicken just a little. Add butter and stir until smooth. Add bacon, shrimp salt, pepper, and ground red pepper and cook until warm.



For the tomatoes:
4 green tomatoes
1 cup or little more corn meal
1 cup flour
spices of choice (I used a little cayenne and course salt and pepper, that's about it)
(Mix these all together)

1 cup buttermilk (you can make butter milk by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to cup of regular milk, leave it sit for about 10 minutes before using)

Dip tomatoes first in butter milk. Then dip into dry ingredient mixture. Fry in oil of choice (I did it in just a pan) for about 3 minutes each, until brown and crispy.

Smother tomatoes in sauce and serve.

4 comments:

Stacey said...

Oh, I am salivating. I had fried green tomatoes for the first time last month in Georgia. They were wonderful!

Stacey J. said...

Just thinking about them makes me salivate!!!! You have to try these!!!

Lisa Walsh said...

You're killing me, girl. I'm SO trying to loose weight!

Stacey J. said...

Me too Lisa.....I have to work extra hard at it though!!!!!