The Southern Classic part of this is Fried Green Tomatoes (the food, not the movie). The Vermont-Style here comes courtesy of Cabot Cheese. Put them together and you have a treat. Chef Jimmy, who heads up Cabot Creamery's test kitchen says this one really takes him back to his roots as a Mississippi native who came north to cook. He says the fried tomatoes act as sandwiches, sans the bread (which makes it a good snack for the carb-conscious) and hold in the Cabot Cheddar that you use here. The fried part though, is definitely a departure from the classic southern style, in that they aren't deep fried. It's quite the marriage of north and south tastes, and quite frankly the end result is beautiful.
- 2 medium green tomatoes
10 or 12 slices of your favorite Cabot Cheddar or Cabot Swiss Slices
- 1 cup lowfat milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup cornmeal
½ cup King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- pinch of cayenne
- olive oil
- PREHEAT the oven to 375° and lightly oil a cookie sheet with the olive oil. Place the pan in the preheated oven.
- RINSE the tomatoes and slice them ¼ to ⅜ inch thick, just a little thicker than you would slice a red tomato for a sandwich.
- MIX the cornmeal, flour and spices in a medium sized bowl. In another bowl, blend the eggs and milk.
- DIP the tomato slices in the milk/egg mixture and then dredge in the cornmeal/flour mixture, one slice at a time. Arrange the coated slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- FLIP all of the slices and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and top half of the tomato slices with the sliced cheese. Place the remaining tomato slices on top of the cheese to make a “sandwich”.
- LEAVE the pan in the oven for just a minute or two with the oven still turned off. When the cheese has melted, remove from the oven and serve immediately.
