Green Tomato Tart

When the first frost of the season hit, we still had a ton of tomatoes on the vine. We picked everything and brought them inside to ripen on the windowsill. Figuring most of them would ripen at the same time, I decided to use a few of them while they were still green.

Several of the tomatoes were plum tomatoes, which are too small in diameter to fry. Well, nothing is too small to fry, I suppose (making them "small fries") but all that breading and frying of small things is too time-consuming for me. Instead, I opted to make a simple tart. And "tart" was the right word for it, as I used tangy goat cheese as well as the under-ripe tomatoes. A sprinkle of sugar on the top before baking bumped up the sweetness level, while still leaving the tart on the, er, tart side.

Green Tomato Tart

2 ounces creamy goat cheese (I like the Montchevre crottins sold in 3-packs at Trader Joe's)
1-2 teaspoons finely minced herbs, like dill, chives, parsley
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2-5 green tomatoes, depending on size (I used 4 plum tomatoes)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine goat cheese and herbs. Stir in enough cream to create a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice tomatoes very thinly.

Place pastry square on Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Fold over each of the four sides about 1/2" inch to form a crust. Fill the interior with the goat cheese mixture, spreading evenly. Shingle on tomato slices. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tomatoes have dried out and crust is golden.

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer or side.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Fried Green Tomatoes

It's nearly October, and we still have plenty of tomatoes on the vine, but most of them are...green. The weird summer of early rain/lower humidity slowed tomato growth down, so we have been eating more of them green than ripe. That's ok - fried green tomatoes are a delicious treat.

I didn't feel like wrestling with the flour container, which we keep on top of the cabinet we use as a pantry, so I used masa, a bag of which was easily reached. Seasoned with Old Bay, it served the same purpose as flour, coating the tomatoes as the first step in a crunchy crust. I didn't notice the difference, and was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of a corny flavor. Of course, this might have been because I served the tomatoes with cheese grits, which have plenty of corny deliciousness.

To top it all off, I did a riff on the chipotle aioli that the Gypsy Queen food truck puts on so many of their items. It's smoky, spicy, a little sweet, and absolutely delicious on pretty much anything. Well, maybe not chocolate cake, but I've never tried it, so who knows?

Fried Green Tomatoes

3 green, unripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
1 cup masa
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more if necessary
vegetable oil, for frying
salt and pepper

Dip tomato slices into masa, then egg, then panko. Fry in a bit of vegetable oil until crisp and browned on both sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with smoky mayo.

Smoky Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle en adobo, de seeded and finely minced
dash garlic powder
pinch sugar
pinch Old Bay seasoning
large pinch smoked paprika
squeeze lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cheesy Grits

1 cup grits
4 1/2 cups water
4 ounces of cheese - I used soft goat cheese and sharp cheddar, about half and half
2 teaspoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Cook grits according to package directions. Stir in cheese and butter and add salt and pepper to taste.




Posted on Minxeats.com.