Fried Green Tomato BLT
Throwdown with Bobby Flay - Bobby Flay won

Fried Green Tomato BLT
Recipe courtesy Nick Melvin

The month of August as a kid meant three things to me: my summer vacation was about to come to a halt, my birthday was only a month away, and my family would venture out to North Carolina to visit my grandparents on their farm. Whenever we would get to the farm in the mid-afternoon my grandmother would have a platter of deviled eggs, pimento cheese with soda crackers, and BLT's with the summer's best tomatoes on the simple sandwich. Since those days past, the simple BLT sandwich has always been a source of comfort to me. When I had the opportunity to run a kitchen and bring out these same memories of comfort through food to my guests, but with a twist, I couldn't pass it up. This is where the Green Tomato BLT came from.

Remoulade:
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon Creole mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
4 lemons, juiced
1 cup prepared horseradish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 gallons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion

Fried Green Tomatoes:
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 tablespoon cracked pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
1 quart vegetable oil
1 green tomato, sliced into 3 thick slices

2 (1/2-inch) slices pain de mie bread
1/4 cup softened butter
1 Roma tomato, sliced into 4 thick slices
4 (1/4-inch thick) slices bacon, cooked until crispy
1/4 cup arugula

For the remoulade: Whisk the shallots, garlic, mustard, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, horseradish, and salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir in the celery, parsley, and scallion. Reserve 1 tablespoon for the sandwich, and store the rest in the refrigerator for later use.

For the fried tomatoes: Combine the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and egg in a bowl. Combine the flour with the Creole seasoning and garlic powder in another bowl.

Heat the oil in a 7-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the oil reaches approximately 150 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Dredge the green tomato slices in the flour mix, then the egg wash, and then the flour mix again and set aside.

Once the oil is at the correct temperature, slowly place the green tomato slices in the oil. (Make sure the oil is no higher than half way up your pan.) Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Once golden on both sides, lift the tomatoes out and place on a plate that has been lined with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Place the butter in a pan and melt over medium-high heat. Toast both sides of the bread.

Slather both sides of the bread with reserved remoulade. Then layer with fried green tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, bacon, and arugula and top with the remaining slice of bread.

Slice in half and enjoy.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Fried Green Tomato BLT with Remoulade Sauce
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

1 cup rice flour
1 cup water
Few dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
3 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Canola oil, for frying
8 slices pain de mie, or other white sandwich bread, lightly toasted
Remoulade Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound applewood-smoked bacon, thinly sliced about 1/8-inch thick, cooked until crisp
Watercress

Whisk together the flour and water in a shallow bowl until smooth. Season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Spread the cornmeal onto a plate and season with salt and pepper.

Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Heat 1-inch of oil in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Season the tomatoes on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip each tomato into the batter and let the excess drip off. Dredge in the cornmeal and pat off the excess. Fry the tomatoes, in batches, until golden brown on both sides.

Spread both sides of the bread with some of the Remoulade Sauce. Top 1 side with a few slices of tomatoes, a few strips of bacon, and some watercress. Top with the other slice of bread, sauce-side down. Repeat to make 4 sandwiches.

Remoulade Sauce:

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • Canola oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
  • 4 cornichons, cut into small dice
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the yolks, lemon juice, vinegar until pale. Slowly drizzle in the canola oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the mustard, cornichons, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served use shell eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method.