Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

Every Sunday, my grandmother- Nana - used to make fried green tomatoes, biscuits and cheese grits. She was an amazing cook. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 9, but I still remember those meals, and have done my best to recreate them over the years. I don't make fried green tomatoes too often, though I always wonder why that is when I take my first bite...

We have been eating our weight in tomato sandwiches this summer. There are so many wonderful variations: tomatoes placed between slices of fresh bread drizzled with olive oil, with a sprinkling of salt and fresh cracked pepper; caprese with fresh mozzarella and basil; roasted zucchini, heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh sliced tomatoes; and so on. It was only a natural progression to make one from fried green tomatoes.

Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

1 medium sized green tomato (or enough to make 8 -10 slices, 1/4 inch thick each)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

olive oil for pan

8 slices of bread (I used the ciabatta I made over the weekend)

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 tablespoons goat cheese

12 medium sized basil leaves

fresh cracked pepper to taste (optional)

To make the fried green tomatoes:

Heat about 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet. Mix flour, cornmeal and salt in a large shallow bowl/plate. Slice tomato into 1/4 inch pieces. Cover each slice in egg white, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture. When pan is hot, lay as many tomatoes in the pan as will fit. Cook until crispy and brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip, and brown the other side. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Repeat until all tomato slices are done.

While tomatoes are cooking, drizzle approximately 1/4 teaspoon olive oil on each slice of bread. If you're using pepper, now is the time to add it. Cover one slice per sandwich with fresh basil leaves - about 3 leaves should do it. When tomatoes are ready, lay them on top of the basil - two slices should do it. Spoon goat cheese on top of the tomatoes - about 1 tablespoon per sandwich - and spread it with your fingers (or a knife if you must) so it covers them. Top with the other piece of bread, and enjoy!

This sandwich is certainly something Nana never prepared, but I think she would have approved. It is perhaps the most delicious sandwich I have ever eaten. I only wish I had discovered it earlier in tomato season!

Vegetable Egg Rolls, Sauteed Broccoli, Mustard-Tamari-Maple Sauce

I learned how to make these egg rolls when I was six years old. A good friend of my mom's who was an excellent cook invited us over for dinner and a lesson in egg roll making. I never forgot what Susan taught me, and I have made them many times in the last 23 years. I've tweaked them a little bit, but they are essentially the same egg roll.

Vegetable Egg Rolls

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated cabbage (any variety will do, but purple adds nice color)

1 cup grated zucchini (squeeze out extra moisture before measuring)

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

salt to taste

egg roll wrappers

oil for frying (I use olive, but you can use the oil of your choice)

small bowl of water

Stir all ingredients together. Pour ~ 1/4 inch of oil into a frying pan and turn on med heat. 

Lay out several egg roll wrappers on a dry surface so that their points are up and down (like a diamond). Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto each wrapper, placing it just below the center of the wrapper.

 Fold the bottom point up first, and wrap around the filling. Next fold each side point over, making sure that there are no openings for the filling to escape through. Next, roll upwards until only ~ 1/2 inch of the top point is still showing. Dip your fingers in water, dab the water on the point and smooth it onto the roll. 

Place the egg rolls in pan after oil is good and hot. Turn with tongs when bottom is bubbly and browned. Repeat until whole roll is cooked in this way. You could also deep fry these, if you wanted. When egg roll is cooked completely (approximately 10 minutes), remove from pan and place on paper towels to absorb extra oil. Serve.

Sauteed Broccoli

3 cups chopped broccoli

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tamari

There is rarely a meal that goes by in my house that does not contain broccoli (hence the name of my blog). I love it. If I could only pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be broccoli. I have it added to just about everything I order in restaurants, much to the surprise of many a server. This is a simple recipe that we eat frequently.

Pour oil into large frying pan on medium heat. When oil is hot, add broccoli, stir, and place lid on pan. After about 5-7 minutes (or when broccoli is slightly browned). Stir, replace lid and leave for another 5-7 minutes. Broccoli is done when soft (not mushy) and still very green. At this point, add the tamari. When it stops sizzling, turn off heat and serve. 

Note: It is also very good to add nuts to this. Add when broccoli is about half cooked. Cashews and walnuts are especially nice.

Mustard-Tamari-Maple sauce

2 1/2 tablespoons mustard 

1 teaspoon tamari

1 teaspoon maple syrup

3 tablespoons olive oil

whisk all ingredients together