Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

Bread Crumbs:

• 2 cups plain bread crumbs
• 1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 farm fresh green tomatoes
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Prepared bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions

For the bread crumbs: Mix all the ingredients together until well blended.

For the tomatoes: Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Mix together the buttermilk and eggs and season with salt and pepper. Marinate the tomato slices in the buttermilk mixture for one hour.

Remove each tomato slice from the marinade 1 at a time. Press both sides gently into the prepared bread crumbs until they are well coated. When all the tomato slices are breaded, heat 1/4-inch oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tomatoes in batches until they are golden brown. (You can also deep-fry the tomatoes in a deep-fat fryer heated to 350 degrees F.) Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Serve topped with the crumbled cheese, chopped basil, and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.