It’s August although you wouldn’t know it here in Charlotte. Yesterday boasted blue skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. The windows came down in the car, it felt a little chilly last night, and I had cravings for butternut squash and braised meats. Today it remains cool, but rain has set in and my sofa is issuing a siren call for me to stop work and curl up on it with a good book and a blanket. I’m resisting for now, but only because a forecast for a weekend of rain has me thinking that I’ll have plenty of couch potato time over the next few days. Rain and thoughts of lazing on a couch with a good read tends to get me hungry for my favorite comfort foods and I’m thinking tomorrow I may have to fry some green tomatoes.

I posted this recipe for Fried Green Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing last year on my blog and demonstrated it on Wednesday for the local Charlotte Today show. After sneaking a small bite after filming, I decided that I need more green tomatoes in my diet. Actually, I decided that I need more FRIED green tomatoes in my diet. This salad is delicious, but in honor of the cooler temps and a hankering for comfort foods, I’m thinking that the standard BLT might just need elevation to BLFGT status. Care to join me?

Click here for the video on how to fry green tomatoes. For those with self-control, the recipe for the salad is below. For everyone else, skip the steps for the salad and fry up some green tomatoes for your Saturday sandwich. Happy cooking…and eating.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk-Dill Dressing – Printer Friendly Recipe
Serves 4

I love using dill for the dressing, but fresh chives would make a fine substitution if you were so inclined. A smattering of thinly sliced green onions over the salad is also a nice touch.

For the dressing:
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3-4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the tomatoes:
2 medium green tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch thick slices
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal (not self-rising)
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground red “cayenne” pepper
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup all purpose flour
about 1 ½ cups canola oil for frying
3 cups mixed greens
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

Whisk together the buttermilk and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the white wine vinegar and taste. Add more vinegar if desired and then stir in the dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Set aside. Place the buttermilk in a small bowl and place the flour on a small plate.

Pour the canola oil into a high-sided, medium skillet until it is about ¼-inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is about 325 degrees (when a few crumbles of cornmeal are added to the hot oil bubbles should immediately form around them).

Working with one slice of tomato at a time, dredge the tomato slices in the flour and shake off any excess. Dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk and then dredge them in the cornmeal mixture. Set on a plate until all the slices have been breaded.

Fry the tomatoes in 2-3 batches (the oil should come about halfway up the side of the tomato slices) until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Carefully remove the fried green tomatoes with a slotted spatula and set on a paper-towel lined plate. Continue until all the tomato slices have been fried.

To assemble the salad, divide the mixed greens between four salad plates. Divide the fried green tomatoes between the salad plates and arrange them decoratively. Sprinkle the fried green tomatoes and the mixed greens with the quartered grape tomatoes. Drizzle everything with the buttermilk-dill dressing. Serve immediately.