The Other Fried Tomato
Everyone loves to fry green tomatoes around here, and I can’t blame them.
But often that means that fried tomatoes are enjoyed onlyfor a brief period in the fall, when we pick those green tomatoes that will never have a chance to ripen before the first frost.
Sure, you can pick a green tomato now, but sacrificing the life of a ripe red tomato just doesn’t seem right to me.
Still, that does not keep me from enjoying fried tomatoes all summer long.
That’s because the fried tomatoes I grew up enjoying were red and ripe ones. My grandfather taught me to love this simple dish. He cooked it only for breakfast, and so do I.
The marriage of a fried red tomato with a sunny-side-up egg is a delicious one.
Now, these aren’t deep-fried or battered. Soft, juicy and ripe tomatoes can’t handle that treatment.
Instead, fried ripe tomatoes are pan-fried.
Take some thick slices, 1/3 to ½ inch, and generously salt and pepper them.
Melt a thin layer of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Then lightly dredge both sides of the slices in the flour, shaking off any excess. Lay the slices in the pan without crowding and cook until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
Serve them alongside with lightly cooked eggs. The runny yolks of the eggs will form as great a sauce for the tomatoes as ever could be desired.
