Fried Green Tomatoes with Cream Gravy

Fried green tomatoes constitute an American classic. They’re popular in the Midwest and on the Atlantic Coast, but our favorites are from the South. These are great for breakfast, with eggs, or delicious as lunch.

Servings

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Vegetable Magic®, in all
14 slices (about 1/4-1/3 inch thick) very hard, very green tomatoes (about 3 or 4 tomatoes)
8 slices bacon, diced
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock
1½ cups heavy cream, in all
6 english muffins, split

How To Prepare

Combine the flour, cornmeal and 1 tablespoon of the Vegetable Magic in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the tomato slices evenly with a total of 2 teaspoons Vegetable Magic and pat it in well.

Fry the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is browned and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, drain and set aside. Pour off the fat from the pan, reserving ¼ cup.

Heat the reserved bacon drippings and the vegetable oil in the same skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. While the oil mixture is heating, dredge the seasoned tomato slices in the flour/cornmeal mixture, one at a time, and reserve the leftover flour mixture. When the oil mixture is hot, add 6 of the tomato slices, or as many as will fit in a single layer, and fry, turning twice, until browned, about 10 minutes. If the tomatoes brown too quickly, reduce the heat slightly. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Fry the remaining tomato slices and drain them. Do not drain the oil mixture from the skillet. Chop 2 of the fried tomato slices and set aside.

Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved seasoned flour mixture to the oil in the skillet and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and cooked bacon, and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the cream and the remaining Vegetable Magic® and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the remaining ½ cup cream and remove from the heat. To serve, toast the muffin halves. Place a tomato slice on each half and cover with ¼ cup of the gravy.

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