Fried Green Tomatoes

[claudine]

Ever since I read the book under the same title, I've always dreamed about trying fried green tomatoes. It just sounds so tasty! As you probably know, I love tomatoes in general and I eat them often, so I'm pretty sure that I would like them fried too.
Have you ever eaten fried green tomatoes? Do you have any recipes?
It might be a silly question, but is there a special variety of green tomatoes or maybe I should just fry regular ones when they're unripe?
Any tips are very welcome!

 

[Gina145]

I haven't read the book but I loved the movie and I've often wondered about it myself.

A quick search of Google found this recipe which appears to be based on the one from the book. It also provided a link to Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook, which apparently includes three different recipes for fried green tomatoes.

I'm not much of a cook but I might just give this a try.

 

[Shellyann36]

Here in the states Fried Green Tomatoes are a southern staple during the summer months. I just bought a bunch on Monday at the grocery store to fry up. We normally clean ours and batter them in milk or water then dredge them in flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry them up until they are golden and drain on a paper towel. Our family loves them. Of course they love us too..... all that grease goes straight to our midsections. I don't normally fry anything but occasionally we will have fried chicken (once a month) and when we do I fry a few things normally.

 

[yellowbird]

Whenever my mom always made them, she would use firm, unripened tomatoes and they always had that tangy taste we were looking for. Mmm, now I want some fried green tomatoes...guess I'll just have to grow some this winter since I can't find green ones anywhere!

 

[zigs]

We were talking about this on the other, other forum, someone had heard they can be poisonous raw, but we couldn't confirm or deny this. Anyone else know if thats true?

 

[gata montes]

Haven't read the book Claudine, but I have eaten green tomatoes, not only are they attractive but like others have already mentioned, have a pleasant tangy flavor without being tart.

As with all things fried, a lot depends on the sort of flavors you like most. I normally fry mine, in touch of garlic laced olive oil with either Italian parsley or basil, sometimes I mix both red and green tomatoes together and sometimes add either potatoes, colored peppers or both, depending on how hungry I am feeling
As to growing them, my grandfather used to grow them, because he had a particular liking for green tomato chutney and said the unripe red ones, just didn't taste the same as the green ones
I tried growing some this year called ' Large Green Beefsteak Tomatoes ' but was rather disappointed, as for some reason, there was nothing large or green about them and they turned red just like all my other tomatoes.

I've suddenly been hit by an enormous hunger, with all this talk of food and shall have to go in search of some relief

Shellyann36 - that recipe of yours sounds truly delicious - shall be trying that one out

Zigs - Help - Poisonous raw - had half of one yesterday - how long do think I have left - perhaps I should Google it now.

 

[Babble64]

Saw the movie and loved it, then read the book and loved it. Tried, once, to make fried green tomatoes because of it. They were okay, but not great. Still, I consider that more because I don't excel (to say the least) at making fried foods than because the food itself isn't good. Of course, having lived my entire life in the north, I just might not have the right stuff to create fried foods!

 

[happyflowerlady]

Babble, don't give up yet ! I am a reborn northerner, being an Idaho native that is transplanted here in Alabama. I absolutely love fried green tomatoes ! So,ermines, I batter them and fry them like Shelly does, but often, I just slice and sauté them, seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and fresh basil .Truthfully, I like them this way with eggs and toast, for breakfast, or even a light dinner meal.
I have used green tomatoes in my stirfry dinners, and it mixes well with the green peppers, red peppers and tomatoes, and onions that I put in the stirfry.
You don't always find green tomatoes on the grocery store, but so,ermines the Farmers Market will have them.
And when the frost hits your garden and you need to gather all of the tomatoes off the withered vines, then you will have plenty of green ones to fry.

 

[justusforus]

I haven't read the book but I loved the movie and I've often wondered about it myself.

A quick search of Google found this recipe which appears to be based on the one from the book. It also provided a link to Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook, which apparently includes three different recipes for fried green tomatoes.

I'm not much of a cook but I might just give this a try.

I have tried this recipe and it is good. I actually found some on menus down south when road tripping and they were better than mine. Now you mention it maybe I didn't use the right tomatoes.

 

[Shellyann36]

We were talking about this on the other, other forum, someone had heard they can be poisonous raw, but we couldn't confirm or deny this. Anyone else know if thats true?

Green tomatoes poisonous? I have never heard of that. They don't taste good uncooked but when you fry em up they are great!

 

[gata montes]

Are raw green tomatoes poisonous ?

As you know on hearing this, I had a very scary moment so Googled it and came across some horrific things, which at the time I didn't really want to know about, but, it made me realize just how many fruits and vegetables we eat everyday, without even thinking which plant family they belong to.

In case you didn't know, tomatoes and potatoes belong to the deadly nightshade family of plants, which I think most of us associate with being poisonous, but , although this plant family is poisonous, there are also, many prescription drugs, particularly heart medications, with deadly nightshade as the main active component.

The whole of a tomato plant, that means stems and leaves are poisonous. Raw green tomatoes are considered to be toxic, but, you would have to eat an extraordinarily large amount for them to be so, and they are probably likely, to have much less of an effect, than if you were to eat green potatoes, swallow and apple pip or crunch on a cherry stone.

Don't let this information spoil your enjoyment of eating fried green tomatoes, as they are quite safe when cooked and so far, I don't seem to have had any adverse reactions from the green tomato I had the other day

 

[claudine]

Thank you all for so many recipes, tips and information! I really want to try fried green tomatoes
Zigs, I got really scared after reading your post!
Gata Montes, thank you for checking it. Even if the tomatoes are delicious, I still wouldn't be able to eat an extraordinarily large amount of them, so I guess I'm safe

 

[zigs]

Didn't want to scare anyone, was just curious as i'd not heard that before. I once drank a litre of tomato juice & felt really rough after it.

 

[claudine]

I know that you didn't want to scare us, it's just so extremely easy to put me in a panic mode
As for fried green tomatoes, I started reading the book again (so far, I read it more than 10 times I think) and now I want to try some recipes even more

 

[Babble64]

Are raw green tomatoes poisonous ?

As you know on hearing this, I had a very scary moment so Googled it and came across some horrific things, which at the time I didn't really want to know about, but, it made me realize just how many fruits and vegetables we eat everyday, without even thinking which plant family they belong to.

In case you didn't know, tomatoes and potatoes belong to the deadly nightshade family of plants, which I think most of us associate with being poisonous, but , although this plant family is poisonous, there are also, many prescription drugs, particularly heart medications, with deadly nightshade as the main active component.

The whole of a tomato plant, that means stems and leaves are poisonous. Raw green tomatoes are considered to be toxic, but, you would have to eat an extraordinarily large amount for them to be so, and they are probably likely, to have much less of an effect, than if you were to eat green potatoes, swallow and apple pip or crunch on a cherry stone.

Don't let this information spoil your enjoyment of eating fried green tomatoes, as they are quite safe when cooked and so far, I don't seem to have had any adverse reactions from the green tomato I had the other day

I was pretty sure that the toxic part was the plant. I had in my mind somewhere that they are a member of the nightshade family. Recently, on facebook, a family member made comment about making a pie with "ground cherries". Having never heard of them, I asked about it and she posted a link which explained them. The description sounded like what I know as tomatillas (though I admittedly don't know much about THEM, either.) They, as well, are in the nightshade family.

Further research verifies that a wild plant I identify as "deadly nightshade", is, indeed in the family. The flowers are lovely, small, purple and yellow ones. Quite a pleasurable wildflower to look at.

I didn't know potatoes were in this family, though.