Fried Green Tomatoes,
by Chef Claire Criscuolo, RN

No matter how well I think I've planned my garden, the plans from Mother Nature always prevail. By late September when we've run out of days warm and sunny enough to continue to support ripe juicy and red tomatoes, I always have too many big green tomatoes remaining. Luckily, In her 1991 starring role, Kathy Bates helped to spread the Southern favorite, Fried Green Tomatoes and each September, as I see my garden still filled with big green and unripe tomatoes, I head right for the frying pan, thankful to Kathy Bates for bringing this useful and delicious dish to us New Englanders.

Fried Green Tomatoes are exactly that; you cut thick slices of green, unripe tomatoes, dredge them in cornmeal and fry them in fat. Some cooks use cornmeal others might make a batter, but my Frank likes when I use Semolina, the winter wheat flour generally used to make pasta, and I like it too as it still gives the tomatoes a nice crunchy coating with an interesting flavor that's different from cornmeal.

You can serve Fried Green Tomatoes as a side dish, or make them Parmesan Style and serve them over an organic wheat pasta with a simple Marinara Sauce, or you can serve them in a sandwich on whole grain bread with a roasted pepper spread and maybe a slice of an Italian Provolone or a Spanish Manchego Cheese.

Whenever you are frying food, be sure to use an oil that can stand the heat without smoking, like either avocado, sunflower, almond, safflower or other refined oil that can withstand heat of at least 345 degrees which is the usual temperature for frying most foods. Oils that are allowed to smoke have broken down and are not good for our health, so it's best not to ever allow an oil to smoke.

Here are three recipes for Fried Green Tomatoes I hope you'll enjoy as we move into our fall season.

Note: Ripe yellow, heirloom, or other tomatoes work nicely too. Use what you have available so long as you take advantage of locally grown while you can.

Fried Green Tomatoes
by Chef Claire Criscuolo, RN Serves 4-6

• 4 Large green tomatoes, cut into ½ inch thick slices
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Cup organic cornmeal
• ½ Cup avocado oil or other oil for frying

Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Measure the cornmeal into a shallow bowl. Dredge each slice of tomato into the cornmeal, shaking off excess. Transfer to a cookie sheet. Set a second cookie sheet by the stove. Line it with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the coated tomatoes, single layer without overcrowding, for about 3 minutes on each side or until they are a nice deep golden brown. Transfer the fried tomatoes to the paper towel lined cookie sheet. Continue frying the remaining tomatoes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Fried Green Tomatoes Parmesan
by Claire Criscuolo, RN Serves 4-6

• 4 Large green tomatoes, cut into ½ inch thick slices
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Cup Semolina
• 3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
• ½ Teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 Organic eggs
• 2 Tablespoons cold tap water
• ½ Cup avocado or other oil for frying
• 4 Cups warm Marinara sauce, recipe follows
• 12 Ounces organic whole wheat spaghetti, or other pasta, cooked according to package directions.

Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Measure the semolina into a shallow bowl. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and the oregano. Using a fork, mix to combine. Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl. Add the tap water and a little salt and pepper. Beat lightly using a fork. Dip the green tomato slices into the beaten eggs, then shake off excess. Dredge each slice of tomato into the semolina mixture, shaking off excess. Transfer to a cookie sheet. Set a second cookie sheet by the stove. Line it with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the coated tomatoes, single layer without overcrowding, for about 3 minutes on each side until they are a deep golden brown. Transfer the fried tomatoes to the paper towel lined cookie sheet. Continue frying the remaining tomatoes. To serve; Place the cooked spaghetti into a large bowl. Add 3 ½ cups of the warm Marinara Sauce and toss to coat. Arrange the coated pasta onto a serving platter. Arrange the Fried Green Tomatoes onto the spaghetti, then spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the fried tomatoes. Pass the additional grated cheese.

Marinara Sauce
by Claire Criscuolo, RN Makes about 4 cups

• 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 Large cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 35 ounce can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes in juice, squeezed with your hands
• 1/4 Cup white wine
• 6-8 Basil leaves
• ½-1 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Do not let the garlic burn or the sauce will be bitter. Add the tomatoes, the wine, the basil, pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook at a simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. Taste for seasoning.