Fried Green Tomatoes with Spicy Mexican Salsa Made in a Molcajete
What came first the tomato or the movie? I asked myself as I the gather the ingredients from the refrigerator. According to an article The Hollywood Effect: How Fried Green Tomatoes Became a Southern ‘Classic’, the author states that this delicacy has been around for much longer than the movie. Like, I’m sure many of you, I always believed that fried green tomatoes were invented in the American South, and thus became a classic Southern dish whose popularity spread around the country. But the article’s author found evidence that people in the North were eating unripe tomatoes this way since the late 1880s. WHAT?!!
The article is quite a fascinating one and I highly recommend reading it. It digs deep into the early history of the fried green tomato and follows it up to the release of the popular Fried Green Tomatoes movie (it was actually a book first), and into modern day. Regardless of what the actually history is, fried green tomatoes taste fantastic.
Was it that I added Fried Green Tomatoes to my Netflix queue or that I saw the green tomatoes at the market and was inspired to watch the movie? I guess it really doesn’t matter because I loved the movie and I love those crispy slices of fried green tomatoes.
My fried green tomatoes are not like those delectable ones in the movie, for starters, the grainy cornmeal that is traditionally used is not sold here. Very unfortunate. Also I’m quite fond of liberally seasoning the batter of anything I will be frying. Lastly, I had to add my own touch to the fried green tomatoes. I made a very simple, but flavourful salsa to use as a topping or for dipping the fried tomatoes into. The results were quite amazing, so much so that hubby and I devoured the whole batch in about ten minutes. I’m keeping an out for more unripe, green tomatoes so I can prepare another batch.
Watch the video below to see how to prepare the salsa or you can go print out that recipe on it’s dedicated page here –> Salsa Molcajeteada | Tomato & Serrano Pepper Salsa Made In A Molcajete
These are a must make in the fall!! I normally don’t fry, but twice in the fall I allow us some fried green tomatoes. They are SO good and yours look awesome!!!
We don’t really eat fried foods either, but I too make an exception for these — when we can get them. Thank you MJ!
Just harvested some great green tomatoes! I already ate most of them (ha!) but maybe I’ll save a few for a fried tomato lunch treat this weekend.
That’s wonderful Mary! I tried growing tomatoes, but my plants all died because of the intense heat this summer. Maybe next year, right?:)
mmmmm i have never had these but the more i read about them in this the more i want them!
You should try them, Anna. I think you’d like them.
I brought home some of my sister’s green tomatoes to make some fried green tomatoes too… but I took too long and they started to get red. LOL! Now I wish I had some of your fried green tomatoes to eat because I’m totally craving some. 🙂
Hehe, oops! You may be able to still find some at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Thanks, Ramona!
I loved the book, I think I saw the movie as well, but I don’t remember it as vividly as the book. I have ever since wanted to try fried green tomatoes but somehow always thought they are some special kind of tomatoes, didn’t really realise they are only unripe tomatoes. I found that out recently and I am now waiting for my friend to give up on her tomatoes ever getting red this year. I can actually try the fried tomatoes at last. 🙂
I haven’t read the book yet, but it’s on my reading list. I hope your friend gets those tomatoes to you so you can give this recipe a try. Lol:)
Hi Nancy. My friend brought me her green tomatoes and we fried them on Monday following your recipe quite exactly (I only had to use panko breadcrumbs because I noticed too late that I don’t have the regular ones anymore). What can I say? It was even better than I thought it would be, we absolutely loved them and already made plans for next year’s green tomatoes. 🙂 Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Adina! Oh that’s wonderful and I loved that you used tomatoes that your friend grew. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe — I’ll have to try the panko breadcrumbs next time. Thank you! 🙂
Love your page! I do have to say though about the Fried Green Tomatoes, there are a few different versions that have been around for over a century from both the North and South. The difference I have noticed is the coating base. The southerners I’ve grew up around used either fish fry meal or cornmeal that they seasoned themselves. I love your camote recipe because it just goes to show how cultures may not directly share but there is this collective idea of how to prepare certain foods. I’ve seen it prepared with butter and brown sugar…to a point that it’s a super syrupy goop on sweet potatoes (and if you just happen to have some cornbread handy to sop it up, do it!).
Hi Heather!
Thank you so much. Yes, my version isn’t the most authentic to the American recipes, I added that Mexican touch. I would love to try with the cornmeal sometime.
Camote with just butter is divine — OMG and with cornbread, just dreamy!