Ultimate Southern Charmed Fried Green Tomato Caprese

What makes its special?

This unique caprese salad belongs on your dinner party menu this summer. It has the wow factor of a dish that you typically only find in a restaurant but with the familiar flavors your guests will love. And, of course, the real star of this dish is that unexpected crunchy bite of cornmeal and flour coated fried green tomato right in the middle of the cheesy burrata or mozzarella cheese and those fresh heirloom tomatoes. The flavor combination is unreal – a real explosion in your mouth with every bite.

Are Fried Green Tomatoes Southern?

While fried green tomatoes are synonymous with southern food, or so I thought, they’ve actually been rumored to originate from Jewish immigrants in the late nineteenth century. Whatever the case, they are a much-loved tradition and a great way to use up underripe or ‘green’ tomatoes.

Surprisingly, I’ve found that there a whole lot of folks on the west coast that haven’t ever tried one so spread the love. A new dish that no one has tried before always makes a great conversation piece at the dinner table and makes the meal so much more memorable.

Do’s & Don’ts:

• Look for a firm green tomato that can hold up when battered and fried
• Buy the best quality heirloom tomatoes you can find and mix it up for a more colorful and flavorful dish
• Be careful to pick tomatoes that are not super soft to the touch, or they tend to be mushy inside
• Quality matters in this dish when it comes to the cheese. I like Buffalo milk mozzarella if you can find it or just a good quality fresh mozzarella packed in water. Costco often carries both. Also check your local farmer’s markets. Links for online delivery are below as well.
• Don’t forget the finishing touches which will absolutely elevate this dish to the next level. Try a 10-year-old aged balsamic and Maldon Flakey Sea Salt. These are both great pantry staple favorites of mine and worth the investment.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 2 medium green tomatoes
• 1 large red heirloom tomato
• 1 large yellow heirloom tomato
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (divided)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt (plus more for after they are fried)
• 1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or avocado oil)
•  4 oz fresh mozzarella (usually 1-2 large pieces per ctr)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
•  Aged balsamic (drizzle)
•  Olive oil or basil oil (drizzle)

Method:

1. First, start by setting up a dredging station which is flour mixture, egg mixture, and then breadcrumbs. You’ll need 3 shallow dishes. In the first dish you’ll add 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour and then the dried basil and oregano and then 1/4 tsp of the regular Kosher salt (not finishing salt). In the second dish add the egg and buttermilk and whisk to combine. In the third add the remaining 1/4 cup flour, cornmeal and breadcrumbs and stir to combine.
2. Next, using a serrated knife, cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and drain on a paper towel to eliminate excess moisture.
3. Coat each slice in the flour first, then the egg, and finish with the cornmeal/breadcrumb coating. Shake off any excess for each layer as you go along before you add to the next dish to eliminate clumps and ensure an even breadcrumb coating.
4. Heat cast iron or heavy, wide rimmed pan over medium heat with canola oil. Let the oil get hot and then add in your coated green tomatoes in a single even layer without crowding the pan. You will likely need to work in batches. Adjust heat if needed but you want a golden brown on both sides, flipping once. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels, add a good sprinkle of salt as they come off the oil and are still hot.
5. To assemble slice the red and yellow tomatoes in 1/2-inch-thick slices as well. On the bottom of each plate start with one of the slices of fresh tomato, then a leaf or two of fresh basil, then fresh mozzarella (torn or sliced). Next add one of the fried green tomatoes and then fresh mozzarella, basil and so on until you have stack. Garnish the top layer with a sprinkle of the flakey finishing salt and drizzle all over with aged balsamic and olive oil or basil oil.

Notes:

With any dinner party it’s helpful to have a few do-ahead steps. Luckily, this dish has that. I like to dredge the tomatoes an hour or so ahead of time and fry them so I can get the mess out of the way. They will hold up just fine for a bit.

Kitchen Tools:

• Cutting board
• Serrated knife
• Whisk
• Metal spatula or tongs
• Cast iron or heavy pan