It seems summer will be ending early for folks north of here since some are reporting they are picking the tomatoes green. Soon, all the Southern tomatoes that are not ripe will be picked before the frost. If I had green tomatoes and did not want to try to ripen them or fry them into Fried Green Tomatoes, I would bake a green tomato pie.
Google "green tomato pie" and you will find one from Paula Deen, amongst others. I have never tried this, so the recipe is just a suggestion. I am sure tomatoes could be dehydrated or frozen to enjoy a Green Tomato Pie in the winter. I hear it tastes like apple pie. I am sure it could be adapted to make a Green Tomato Betty using an Apple Betty recipe. Green tomato cobbler, anyone?
Storing Green Tomatoes
My friend always picked the green tomatoes, small or large, and wrapped each green tomato separately in newspaper. Periodically, she would unwrap them and see which were ripe, if any had a bad place, wrap them all back up and eat ripe tomatoes until after Christmas. Of course, we won't have frost for another month or six weeks. I don't remember if the boxes of tomatoes are stored in a dark, light, cool, or warm place. She died, so I cannot ask her.
Your turn
Have you ever made green tomato pie? Is it delicious?
I learned a LONG time ago that the best fried green tomatoes have a bit of pink to them. They aren't as rock hard and have a sweeter taste. I never, EVER use cornmeal when frying them, but use buttermilk, flour and Panko to give them a crispness, instead of the "crunchiness" that cornmeal makes.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had an honest to goodness ripe tomato since we left Indiana. Ripe off the vine is still lots better than a 'ripe from newspaper" tomato. I just use a paper bag for ripening. Same difference.
lotta joy,
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of fried green tomatoes or even relish made with them. So, I am no expert. However, I believe that Panko is a Northern thing while cornmeal is a more Southern usage.
Hmmm, crispy versus crunchy. I will have to think on that to figure out the difference. My mind is not able function on that meta level right now...lol.
While I never eat fried green tomatoes, I do cook them for others. Sometimes, I have used ones with a pink tinge, hoping I was not using one that would turn out wrong. No complaints, ever. Now I know why!
The diffrence in newspaper and a paper bag may be that my friend had several bushels of green tomatoes. She could store more in newspaper. ????
Tomatoes picked almost ripe to sell is the problem
Some day, I will use Panko even though I won't eat the fried green tomato! Thanks for that tip.