FLOWER POT KITCHEN: FRIED GREEN TOMATOES FROM THE CRAZY FISH SHACK

9 May 2014

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES FROM THE CRAZY FISH SHACK

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

This are so amazing that I ate way to many and fell off grid! While on holiday in Florida we found a lovely old wonky wooden Crazy Fish Shack by the side of the road in Lake Wales, Orlando, the shack has some of the best ever fried green tomatoes I have ever eaten, they were fried perfectly in a crispy seasoned flour, then finished with a with a great spicy seasoned dusting. The crispy coating and gorgeous crisp green fried tomatoes just belong together, so as soon as I got home these were one of the first things I wanted to cook, and they tasted fantastic, thanks to the chef's from the Crazy Fish who were great and gave me their family recipe for dredging and seasoning, which I now get to share with you guys, hope you enjoy these as much we have, these are another family favourite.

INGREDIENTS

(side order for 4)

6 green tomatoes

FOR THE SEASONED FLOUR

300g all purpose flour

100g fine cornflour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch cumin

2 eggs beaten

500ml buttermilk

2ltr ground nut oil

SEASONING

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch celery salt

1 tbsp fine fine chopped coriander

Standard set up for (naughty) gorgeous crispy American fried food, take your three shallow bowls place the buttermilk in one, the beaten egg in one and the flour with all the seasoning in the final bowl. Slice the green tomatoes around half the thickness of pound coin (3ml), you should get 6-8 slices per tomato. Lay on paper roll and pat dry, this is important as it will help the dredging set on the tomatoes.

Heat the oil to 190-200 degrees, place a plate at the end of your three bowls, then take a slice of green tomato, dip in the buttermilk, then the flour, bash off excess flour, then dip in the beaten egg then the flour again and tap off any excess, gently lay on the plate while you repeat the dipping and coating with the rest of the sliced green tomatoes. When ready gently drop into your hot oil, don't overload the fryer as this will give you a soggy fried tomato, best to fry in small batches, once fried remove and place on paper roll to soak up any excess oil, then sprinkle generously with your seasoning, sprinkle with the fine chopped coriander and serve immediately with a lovely dip, I love a spicy mayonnaise dip with a hint of lime.

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.