Fried Green Tomato BLT

I'm shocked that Connie ever lets me go grocery shopping.  Not only do I come home with things we really don't need but I also tend to dive into the bargain book bin and help them clear their inventory of cookbooks.  That means I now have in my possession yet another bargain book ($6.97 to be exact) that I could pretty much cook my way through.  I'd passed on this book several times.  Mostly because someone was with me and his foot was tapping.  Mr. Patience.  LOL.  I love him dearly.  He is the guy who can dink around forever then say, Well are you ready???  When I've been ready for half an hour...  He's the man who gets in and out of the grocery in record time.  If it isn't on the list it isn't in the cart.  Me on the other hand....  I like to see what's new.  Browse.  Other than groceries and hardware stores and cookbook sections in bookstores I really don't care for too much shopping.  I'd rather stick pins under my fingernails than spend a day (or an hour) at the mall. 

Before I tell you what the cookbook is, let me tell you that I don't pay much if any attention to music.  I can usually recognize songs when they're being performed as a part of a musical but that's about it.  So, for me to buy a cookbook by a music star.  Well, let's just say that it HAD to be the recipes because it certainly wasn't the music.   Actually, a couple of the recipes caught my eye.  A fried green tomato BLT was the primary one.  As luck would have it I bought asparagus and zucchini the evening I bought this book.  They happened to be the stars in a recipe I found while waiting in the checkout line.  And, made the minute I got home...  We've now had two recipes and have four more on this week's menu.  Just amazing food. 

Turns out that Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 and decided she needed to start eating healthy.  She hired a chef by the name of Chuck White.  This cookbook is theirs.  Now, it does have some recipes that are way out of our comfort zone.  Neither of us likes tofu.  We tolerate it in hot and sour soup but spit it out otherwise.  And, on occasion they use seitan.  Not something I'm in the least bit interested in using.  But, 90% of the recipes are great.

Let's talk first about the fried green tomato BLT.  I'm a huge BLT fan.  Not a huge fan of fried green tomatoes.  Our friend Chef Joseph Martin at 18 on the Square in Shelbyville is converting me gradually.  He serves his fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese.  Fab-u-lous!  So, I decided to try making them myself.  This dish was a major success.  We both totally loved it.  I made a couple of changes based on things we needed to use up and things that I thought needed a bit more oomph.  But, for me I stayed pretty true to the recipe.

Next the quinoa with the roasted vegetables.  With many thanks to my friend Mary for getting me to try quinoa, let me say that this was as fabulous as it was healthy.  I didn't let it sit in the fridge overnight like the recipe called for.  And, I won't since we didn't like it as much the second day.  It was still very good.  Just not spectacular.  I'll post that recipe another day since the BLT one is so long...

Fried Green Tomato BLT

Ingredients:

for the roasted garlic aioli
2 large egg yolks
2 T chopped roasted garlic (the recipe called for 2 teaspoons - it wasn't enough for us)
2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 1/4 c light olive oil
1/2 t black truffle salt (I added this)
1 T capers (I also added these)

for the tomato emulsion:
1/2 c seeded and diced very ripe tomatoes
salt and pepper
2 t truffle oil
1 t extra-virgin olive oil

for the sandwich:

8 slices pancetta, bacon or salami
2 c unbleached flour
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
3 T milk
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c cornmeal
2 t Emeril's seasoning (or, any good Cajun seasoning - my add)
Eight - 1/4" thick green tomato slices
light olive or canola oil for frying
baby spinach or mix of baby greens

Directions:

for the roasted garlic aioli
Add the egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice and mustard to the bowl of a food processor.  Process just until mixed.  With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Once the aioli has thickened a bit, stop processing.  Stir in the black truffle salt and capers if desired.

for the tomato emulsion:
process the ingredients just until blended.

for the sandwich:

Heat through or cook the pancetta, bacon or salami.  Pour about 1/4" of oil into a wide skillet.  Heat the oil.  It's hot enough when it shimmers.  Set up three dipping bowls. 

is the flour, salt and pepper.  Second is the eggs and milk - whisked together well.  Last is the flour and cornmeal.  When the oil is hot, start dipping the tomato slices.  Remember that adding too many at once will cause the temperature of the oil to drop rapidly.  So, fry just a few at a time.  Once the tomato slices are fried on both sides, remove them to a folded paper bag to drain. 

To assemble the sandwiches:
Start with a tomato slice.  Schmear it with a bit of aioli (1-2 t). 

Drizzle on a bit of tomato emulsion.  Top with a slice of pancetta, bacon or salami.  Top that with some greens.  Add another tomato slice.  Repeat steps.  Add a third tomato slice.  Schmear with aioli and drizzle with tomato emulsion.  Serve warm.  And, you can give the leftover egg/milk mixture to the furry kids...

 adapted from If it Makes You Healthy