Recipe: Fried Green Tomato Caprese

     I love food. I mean, who doesn't? But, my love for food goes deep. I love talking about food, I love watching food be made, I love thinking of ways that I can make food. Food is my soul-mate. Have I sufficiently weird-ed you out? Good.

     This recipe started out of my love for a Southern favorite: fried green tomatoes. There is something about frying up a not-quite-ripened tomato to crunchy perfection and drowning it in ranch dressing or sour cream dip. YUM. Plus, its namesake movie is a classic. But, on this particular occasion of me trying to savor the green tomato goodness before they turned red, I thought to pair the fried deliciousness together with the fresh mozzarella and roma tomatoes in my fridge; blending my highly-regarded comfort food staple with my other love of Italian cuisine And, oh my gosh, am I glad I did. Here's the how-to (for two tomatoes):

     Slice your green tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. In one dish, season a few big spoonfuls of flour with salt, pepper, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. In another dish, beat two eggs, a splash of milk, and a few dashes of hot sauce together. Pour a cup of Italian-seasoned bread crumbs into a third dish. It's really important to make sure every component of this recipe is properly seasoned; you should always utilize all the flavor you can early on in the cooking process. The order for breading your tomatoes should be flour, then egg wash, then bread crumbs. Pour enough vegetable oil in a skillet to completely cover the bottom, and heat over medium heat. Vegetable oil is mild in flavor, so you don't have to worry about it taking over your flavors the way olive oil would, It also hold heat very well. Drop a pinch of bread crumbs into the oil to test if its hot enough; if it gently bubbles and gives a sizzling sound, you're all set!

      Fry the tomatoes until golden brown on both sides until golden brown and crispy. Place them on paper towels to drain off excess oil, and be sure to sprinkle them with salt while they are still hot. Now, you could just be done after this step, and eat them on their own; they are still so, so good with Ranch or hot sauce for dipping. But, it's a little known fact that if you make a salad with fried food, it instantly becomes good for you. Google it, dorks.

     I layered my green tomatoes over a bed of romaine lettuce, with fresh mozzarella and roma tomatoes. I sprinkled the entire plate with black pepper, and finished everything with a drizzle of my favorite balsamic vinaigrette; you could use just straight balsamic vinegar, and it would be perfect! This dish was so satisfying, and I loved the combination of the two classics. I hope you do, too! What twists do you put on the classics?

-Heather