Friday, July 15, 2011

A Garden Fresh Veggie Meal

This time of year when the garden is providing its bounty, we often eat all-vegetable meals and this was one of them.  For this dinner at the lake, the menu was grilled corn, blue ribbon green beans, fried okra, sliced tomatoes, and an appetizer of fried green tomatoes.
   
While working in my tomatoes the other day, I knocked a big green one off and stuck it in the fridge so it would stay green.  And shortly after I was watching the Food network and up pops Bobby Flay and a green tomato BLT throw down.  I didn’t do the sandwich, but did use Nick Melvin’s (throw down winner) recipe which I cut in half to get this.
1 ½ cups buttermilk
¾  tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
3/8 tsp cracked pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 egg
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp Creole seasoning
3/8 tsp garlic powder 

1. Combine the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and egg in a bowl. Combine the flour with the Creole seasoning and garlic powder in another bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a 7-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the oil reaches approximately 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. 
3. Dredge the green tomato slices in the flour mix, then the egg wash, and then the flour mix again and set aside. 
4. Once the oil is at the correct temperature, slowly place the green tomato slices in the oil. (Make sure the oil is no higher than half way up your pan.) Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Once golden on both sides, lift the tomatoes out and place on a plate that has been lined with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. 

Since I’ve never been satisfied with my Green tomatoes, I followed his recipe to the letter – except I still used a whole egg.  Bev wanted to try a ripe one as well and I served them up with some of Mary’s remoulade sauce.

The Blue Ribbon pole beans are a favorite of ours and they were cooked for a few hours with a smoked ham hock and the okra was fried up in Crisco – the hard kind is the only thing that does okra right for us. 

After the success with grilled corn the other day, we deicded to try it again with a different compound butter and I was more careful pulling back the shucks so I could get them back in place better - it didn't seem to help much though.  Since we were having remolaude sauce, I made a Creole butter as follows.
8 tbsp salted butter, softened
1 tbsp Emeril’s Essence
½ tsp hot sauce, I used Fire Ant Juice
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
½ tsp kosher salt 
The tomatoes were Yellow Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, and Green Zebra.

This is my plate and it was seriously good eats. 

I will use the tomato recipe again and next time use one third corn meal for part of the flour.  I will also use this compound butter again for the corn and make sure I have extra for those who want to brush on a little more.

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

One year ago:  Grilled Ground Beef Sandwich On Ciabatta

Larry

11 comments:

  1. Wow Larry. What a great meal. Who needs meat when the veggies are this fresh. Your tomatoes are gorgeous.

    I think I've seen that throw down and thought the sandwich was just too much food for me and prefer my tomatoes as a side dish as you served them.
    Sam

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  2. That plate of fresh tomatoes looks absolutely wonderful. I planted a Yellow Brandywine this year, I hope I get some tomatoes as good looking as those. The recipe for the fried tomatoes sounds perfect! We've had at least an inch of rain every day for the past 10 days. I'm not sure what my tomato plants think about that.

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  3. Hey Larry! Laurie here!

    Everything on your plate looks fantastic! The fried green tomato's are my favorite ( Well, I do love fresh corn on the cob with melted butter too!) You just can't go wrong with fresh out of the garden produce! Thanks for being 'Farmer Larry'! WE ALL benefit from your bounty!

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  4. What a fantastic meal, Larry! I absolutely love fried green tomatoes!! Actually, everything on your plate looks great!!!

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  5. Love this meal, Larry. I've never fried green tomatoes but they look so delicious that I have to give it a try. This may be one of those years when we have lots of green tomatoes. Not much sun so far this summer.

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  6. There's not a better meal than that --in the whole world!!!! YUM---love those home-made veggie meals!!!!! Made my mouth water.

    Have a great weekend.
    Betsy

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  7. I need to get my morning act together so I can make to your place in time for summer suppers. I'm missing all the fried okra! And tomatoes! And corn! It's just all too good.

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  8. Just like the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes! Beautiful produce, Larry.

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  9. The perfect summer meal in my opinion. Love your RV. We have friends you are in Alaska right now on an RV trip.

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  10. It's rare that I look at a veggie plate and think, "Man I have got to have that" but with okra and corn alone, you had me.

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  11. Larry, This veggie meal looks great, even to a carnivore like myself! The fried tomatoes are spectacular and there isn't much better to eat than fresh sweet corn! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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