Fried Green Tomato Huevos Rancheros

You may or may not remember the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, and if you do that may have been the first time you had heard of this amazing Southern treat. Have I mentioned before that I am not a slice of tomato between 2 pieces of white bread and a slather of Duke's mayonnaise kind of guy? I do not know if it is the acidity or what, but I can eat tomatoes anyway you throw them at me — just not raw slices on a sandwich.

All of that aside, I do like fried green tomatoes with plenty of salt and fresh pepper. I ate these growing up well before the named movie in 1991. What I didn't know was how this could very possibly be a Northeast and Midwest dish (not Southern), with a link to Jewish immigrants.You can come to your own conclusion by reading that story here. 

We have made fried green tomato sandwiches before, but today I thought it would be fun to replace the fried tortilla shell with a "Southern Grown" fried green tomato...

Ingredients:

• 1 large green tomato, 1/2" slice (4 slices)
• 2 tablespoons of serrano with habanero and roasted garlic salsa or your favorite salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 can black beans
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 5 eggs, divided
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• Fresh cilantro, garnish
• Salt and fresh ground pepper

Start by blending your salsa and sour cream together. Place in the refrigerator reserved for use later. Next, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan on low, adding the onion, jalapeño and black beans. Cook, stirring occasionally until heated. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in another frying pan.

Separately, lightly scramble one egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a dredging bowl. Dredge tomato slices in the egg mixture and then dip to coat in the panko. Add to the frying oil and cook over medium on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. If the oil gets too hot it will start to burn the panko. Adjust the heat or remove the pan, continuing to cook until lightly browned.

Once fried on both sides, remove tomato slices from the oil and place them on cooling racks. Sprinkle with salt as soon as you place them on the racks. Continue until all 4 slices are fried. Reserve oil and fry eggs individually to top each tomato or simply poach your egg. Spoon the black bean mixture on top of each tomato and add the diced avocado.

Cover with an egg, then sprinkle with paprika and fresh cilantro. Spoon serrano pepper sour cream over the dish to finish.

This dish is perfect this time of year for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner — you choose!

E.A.T. local E.A.T. well