Dr Pepper

One of my Christmas presents (from my lovely brother and sister in law) was a bottle of chipotle tabasco sauce, which will come in handy when I make Giant Chipotle White Beans... but of course I need more than one recipe to go with this stuff!  So I made a (virgin) bloody mary with it, declared it delicious, and can't wait to try it with vodka. 

And tonight I made a recipe I have always meant to attempt - classic fried green tomatoes (served with chipotle tabasco sauce).  The tomato plants in my garden are finally ready to harvest, but there are still some green ones on the vine.  And oh.my.god. fried green tomatoes are amazing!  I had to force myself to stop eating them so I don't ruin my appetite for the next dish I will be cooking tonight - my very first signature dish, back from the days of Brockworth Place (you know the one I mean Miriam!).  But that's going to be a story for another post...

Bloody Maria

Shot of vodka or tequila
Glass of tomato juice
Squeeze of lemon juice
Splash of worcestershire sauce
Splash (or two, or three...I like it spicy) of chipotle tabasco sauce
Grind of pepper
Sprinkle of salt

1. Pour half the tomato juice into a glass, add the remaining ingredients, stir, then add the rest of the tomato juice and give it another stir.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Well I suppose this would serve four people as an entree if the cook didn't eat all of them...

3 medium firm green tomatoes

Salt

1 cup of flour

1/2 a cup of milk (or buttermilk)

1 egg

1/3 of a cup of cornmeal (I used polenta; there are also finer cornmeals you can use)

1/2 a cup of fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 of a cup of vegetable oil

1. Cut the unpeeled tomatoes into 7mm slices and sprinkle each with salt; let them stand for 5 minutes.

2. Take three bowls and fill them as follows: Bowl 1 = flour; Bowl 2 = lightly beaten egg and milk; Bowl 3 = cornmeal and breadcrumbs mixed together.

3. Heat the oil in a pan on a medium heat.  Dip the tomato slices in Bowl 1 (flour), then Bowl 2 (egg + milk), then Bowl 3 (cornmeal + breadcrumbs).  Fry the slices in batches for a few minutes each side until brown, then drain on paper towels.

4. Serve as is or with a few splashes of chipotle tabasco sauce.