Baby Steps and Southern Food

This is my first official foray into the world of blogging. My intention is to take you all (current readers=zero) with me on my travels. We begin our journey on my home turf of Atlanta, GA. That's right the A, or ATL, but never ever Hotlanta (uttering this bygone phrase is a surefire way to piss off any native and to reveal yourself as an uneducated tourist of our fair city). I have signed a beautifully contracted deal with the devil, and consequently will be spending the next year of my life in the tropics of Thailand. As I plan to immerse myself in their beautiful culture with all of my senses I will take my readers with me by sharing a recipe a week that is sure to make your mouth water and leave you with echoes of angels singing.

So let us begin with Atlanta. I first moved here 13 years ago--yes, I was just a child, thank you for noticing ;) As a tried and true GDI (that's God Damned Independent for you Yanks) I was shocked by the sweltering heat you could cut with a knife, the iced tea so sweet you could pour it on pancakes, and the food, the food! Chopped, diced, filleted but however you cut it was always one thing--fried. After trying my Northern hand at the Southern art of frying (and failing miserably), I resigned myself to only partaking in the golden, savory crunch of these foods at various restaurants around town. Atlanta is a sun drenched treasure trove of eateries. Don't be fooled, not everything is fried. Beignets at brunch? Ethiopian in the early hours? Lange de Boeuf at lunch? Shawarma at supper? Mediterranean at midnight? Whatever you are looking for, Atlanta's vast array of dining wonders has got you covered. But let's get back to the simplicity of Southern dining, and since this our first meeting let us begin in the beginning. Southern appetizers come in an array of flavors, but none so decidedly Southern as the one and only Fried Green Tomato. I first discovered this golden, crunchy, savory, sweet vegetable at a dive that will remain nameless. First impressions are lasting, but no woman worth her salt will only try something once. It was upon my second tasting at the decadent South City Kitchen that I fell in love. Their recipe will easily stand up to anyone else's in my book, and I have included it for your dining pleasure below.

Enjoy,
The Epicurious Gypsy

Ingredients:


For the tomatoes:
3 large green tomatoes

Salt and black pepper to taste

12 tablespoons of softened goat cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs, well beaten

2 cups bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil for frying

1/4 pound dandelion greens, washed and dried



For the sauce:
3 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 sprig thyme

5 basil leaves

2 cups chicken stock or tomato juice

1/4 cup white wine or vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

To make the tomatoes: Slice tomatoes into 4 or 5 1/4-inch slices. Season with salt and pepper. Spread goat cheese on each slice liberally. Dust lightly in flour. Then dip each into beaten eggs and coat with bread crumbs. Refrigerate.

To make the sauce: Saute peppers, onions and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Add thyme, basil leaves, chicken stock, white wine, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree in food processor or blender and season to taste.

To finish: As sauce cooks, heat oil in a deep-fat fryer to 350 degrees. Remove tomatoes from refrigerator, and with a slotted spoon, lower them into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crisp on all sides. (If you don't want to deep-fry, tomatoes may also be fried on both sides in about 1 inch of hot oil.) Drain on paper towels. Add dandelion greens to the hot oil and fry until crisp.

Cut tomatoes in half. Pour pureed sauce onto plates and top with tomatoes. Place greens on top or side.