the blt, reworked*

[*let me just start by saying that the diner/yo'-mama's version of this classic (on, gasp, plain 'ole toasted wonder bread) needs no real improvement.  a treat in-and-of itself, to be sure]

...HOWEVER...

TA-DA:

(not yo' mama's blt)

listen, guys:apparently, i'm into nostalgia-themed cookery these days (see whoopie-pie post)...most recently, i have put together a little sandwich i think you might like...sort-of a revamped blt (bacon, lettuce, & tomato), with fried green tomatoes, ham (also fried, crap!), and a fresh basil aioli (when i say "aioli," what i mean is: store-bought-olive-oil-based mayonnaise that i mix with stuff...in this case, basil from the garden)...

(mayo, chopped basil, s&p, ready to be combined to create the aioli)

(fresh basil from the garden...okay if you look really hard, there's some mint in there, too)

...all on lightly toasted challah bread (see previous post for recipe).  listen, i ain't gonna lie: it was delicious (would i be sharing it with all of you folks, otherwise?!?)

(the green tomatoes still on the vine in the backyard)

the first thing i did was fry up 'dem green 'maters ("green tomatoes" = very underripe tomatoes.  in this case, from our garden, but you can find them at many grocery stores, and, frankly, the least ripe tomato you can find, even if it's a little red, will work, here.  just needs to be firm).

(the 'maters, washed and ready to go)

so, here's my fried-green-tomato recipe:

ingredients:

-very underripe tomatoes (4-5, depending on size), sliced about 1/4 to 1/2 inch-thick

-1 1/2 cups buttermilk

-1 cup cornmeal

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-1 tablespoon garlic powder

-cayenne, paprika, sea salt, and ground black pepper to your taste

-1/2-3/4 cup bacon grease

                 -or-

-1/2 cup vegetable oil plus 1 tablespoon butter

1.process your cornmeal in your food processor (i find that, unless you have a super-finely ground cornmeal, many recipes, this one included, benefit from this processing...it eliminates the sometimes too mealy quality whilst still retaining that desirable crunch-factor)

(cornmeal in processor)

2. add the remaining dry ingredients (flour, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper) to the cornmeal and pulse to combine,

(the dry ingredients, ready to be pulsed)

place the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside

(the dry ingredients)

3. pour the buttermilk into a separate bowl and season lightly with s&p, set aside

(buttermilk with s&p)

(that's right.  delicious and equally useful bacon fat)

4. heat a heavy-bottomed skillet to medium/medium-high.  add bacon grease (perhaps you keep it around in a jar in the fridge for very such purposes?  perhaps not) or veg oil and butter combo

5. while the oil/grease is melting down and heating up, soak the tomato slices in the seasoned buttermilk

(maters a-soakin')

6. once grease or oil/butter is melted and hot in the skillet,

(bacon grease a-meltin')

dredge the buttermilk-soaked tomato slices, one at a time, in the cornmeal mixture, to coat on both sides

7. fry until golden brown (3-5 minutes per side)

(soaked, dredged maters a-fryin')

8. drain on paper towels

(fried-green-tomatoes a-drainin')

9. now...eat 'em! 

excellent with lemon and hot sauce, buttermilk dressing, etc

OR...

as i suggested, on a sammich'

[here, with a cucumber, feta, and mint salad.  get in my belly (and it did)!]