CRAFT by Under My Host® Issue No. 16 Made in America: Part I | Page 89

FRIED GREEN PICKLED TOMATOES
Kansas City Canning Co. Pickled Green Tomatoes – 8 – 10 slices
1 c. cake flour, plus one cup for dredging (AP flour is totally acceptable*)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
12 oz. beer (1 bottle – I used Boulevard Pale Ale)
½ c. corn meal
4 c. peanut oil (or preferred frying oil)
Remove Green Tomatoes from jars and place on paper towels to remove excess
moisture.
Sift the flour into a bowl. Add salt, baking powder, corn meal, and smoked papri-
ka to the flour. Whisk the beer into the dry ingredients. Sprinkle remaining flour
onto a plate for dredging the green tomatoes.
Using a fry thermometer to measure, heat oil to 375F in cast iron skillet or Dutch
oven.
Once the oil has reached the correct temperature, dredge the green tomatoes
through the reserved flour and the corn meal until they are lightly crusted. Drop
the tomatoes into the tempura batter and make sure they are evenly coated. In-
troduce the tomatoes directly into the hot oil.
*Using cake flour will result in a lighter batter.
Tips for Batter Frying
Use one hand to perform any steps that involve dry ingredients, the other hand for
wet ingredients. Eg. Left hand to put tomatoes in corn meal and batter, right hand
to coat tomatoes and drop in oil.
Dip the bottom ¼ of the tomato in the hot oil and allow the batter to begin to cook
before dropping the entire tomato in the oil. This will help it to float and keep it
from sticking to the bottom.
Always place the tomato in the oil away from yourself. If the oil is going to splash,
make sure it splashes away from you.
Cook each tomato for 45 to 60 seconds, until the outside is just beginning to
brown. Using chop sticks or tongs, carefully flip tomatoes to cook the opposite
side
Remove the tomatoes from the hot oil and place on a drying rack over a sheet tray.
PHOTO CREDIT: Pat McCroy
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