Fried Green Tomatoes with Arugula Pesto and Tomato Corn Relish
Ingredients
FOR THE ARUGULA PESTO
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon walnuts
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup arugula, packed
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup grated Vella Dry Jack cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
FOR THE TOMATO CORN RELISH
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
FOR THE FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
- 3 to 5 large green tomatoes
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup grated Vella Dry Jack cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano may be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste grapeseed or canola oil for frying
Instructions
- FOR THE ARUGULA PESTO Place the pine nuts and walnuts into a food processor and grind into a fine dust. Add the garlic, olive oil, arugula and lemon juice and purée until all ingredients are incorporated. Place in a bowl and add the cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside until ready to serve. FOR THE TOMATO CORN RELISH Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside until ready to serve. FOR THE FRIED GREEN TOMATOES Slice off the top and bottom of each tomato, then slice into ½-inch slices. Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine the panko, cornmeal, flour, cheese, chipotle powder, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy-bottom skillet, pour in oil to a depth of 1” and heat the oil to 350°F. Dip each slice of tomato in the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip off, then dredge in the panko/cornmeal/flour mixture. Place the tomato slices in the oil and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove and season lightly with salt and pepper. Continue until all tomato slices have been fried.
Notes
TO SERVE
Place 3 fried tomato slices on each plate and garnish with arugula pesto and tomato corn relish.
