Fried Green ~ Pickled Tomatoes

Fried Green ~ Pickled Tomatoes

In looking for ways to use green tomatoes this summer, I tried pickled refrigerator tomatoes from a recipe* I had looked up online.
Me being me... I really tried to follow their recipe, but made it my own.

This recipe needs to be started at least three days to three weeks ahead.

For Pickled Tomatoes:

Sterilize three (pint) jars.

Wash and slice Green tomatoes, stacking the slices tightly into the jars. Don't worry about leaving headroom, you need them unable to float! (Be sure you use tomatoes that have not begun to ripen at all.)

Add a hot pepper or two (or three!) to the jars as you fill them.

(I used fresh ripe cayenne in some, and some strips of extra hot jalapeno to others.) (This jar was opened and is mostly eaten. Once they are done, people just can't stay out of them!)
In a saucepan, bring to a boil:
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used jarred, you may have fresh!)
4 teaspoons salt (I use Himalayan pink salt)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of dill seed
1 teaspoon course grind black pepper
Boil until sugar is dissolved.
(At this point, the original* recipe called to add 2 tablespoons of Bourbon. In my first batch, I left it out completely. In my second batch, I substituted rum due to allergy concerns with my visiting family. Third batch, I added Jack Daniel's whiskey. The recipe was great in all its modifications!) (Rum is Gluten Free)
Pour the pickling liquid over the jarred tomatoes, completely submerging them.
Cap the jars, and set them into the refrigerator for AT LEAST 3 days. (They will keep up to 3 weeks.)

OK. We are ready to fry some up!
My breading mix is Gluten Free:
1 cup almond flour
1 cup tapioca flour (Aka Tapioca starch) (Corn starch will also work)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika
I combine this in a gallon bag.

Heat your favorite frying oil to 375*

Drain the pickled tomatoes. Shake a few at a time in the bag of breading. Lay them out on a piece of waxed paper (or whatever!) as your oil heats. Once the oil reaches temperature, fry the tomatoes to a golden brown. Drain on absorbent toweling, and serve. (I sprinkle with additional salt to taste, and sometimes even a bit of Parmesan cheese.)

*I found the original recipe at "Love & Olive Oil"  (https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2014/10/pickled-green-tomatoes.html)

Granny's Garden Vegetable Saute

Granny's Garden Vegetable Saute

This recipe is one my beloved Granny, Arretta Beard used to make. It isn't so much of an actual recipe, as it is a way to use the bits and pieces of garden produce that you just don't have enough of to make a dish of alone. This is what I had last night: 

A huge zucchini that had been over looked at least a couple of days... coupled with over 2" of rain! Some ripe tomatoes that needed used ASAP. Onion. Yellow squash, (red) bell pepper, mushrooms, green beans, and okra. (I cooked  and served the okra separately, but it is fine in this dish, if you like.) I had a baggie of leftover crudites from Mr C's lunch... celery, baby carrots.
The key ingredients in Granny's dish always were squash, tomatoes and onions. 

So, whack up the veggies. (This zucchini was so big, I scooped the seeds out and chopped up the flesh of it. I actually had enough raw veggies cut up that I sealed half in a freezer bag and froze it for another day.)

 Get your skillet going, and add a touch of cooking oil of your choice. 

(If you choose to have meat in this dish, this is a good time to brown it up and set aside.  Saves dirtying up another skillet! Granny liked "Little Smokies" in hers. I usually use a summer sausage. This time I used *Three Cheese Chicken Sausage Links* from Aldi. I have made it with Italian sausage. I have made it with leftover chopped chicken. But it is just as good without meat.)

I seasoned this one with salt, pepper, and some smoked paprika. Other choices- whatever herbs you have on hand! Basil is wonderful. Maybe a couple sprigs of rosemary some time. Summer Savory is good.

Add the chopped veggies to the oil in the hot skillet. You really need very little oil, just enough to coat the skillet so the vegetables don't stick. Allow to cook, stirring from time to time to keep the vegetables cooking more evenly. You may want to cover this as it cooks.

Cook until your veggies are tender. I had a lid over this part of the time, so the captured heat and steam could cook things through without evaporating too much juice.  Add the cooked meat back in, if you wish.

 I served this over "Dirty Rice" (from a box.)  I usually just use plain cooked rice. If you have leftover rice from some other meal, just toss it in as the vegetables cook. Could be served over noodles, or sauteed shredded cabbage.

Thai Basil Chicken (Spicy!)

Thai Basil Chicken

!SPICY!

Chicken breast (or) Ground chicken

Thai Basil

Thai peppers

Oyster sauce

Fish sauce

Coconut sugar

Cooked rice, hot and ready to serve

Fried eggs

This easy dish was my first taste of Thai food, prepared by my son Stephen on a visit to my house after his stay in Thailand.

Prep work is easy, the cooking is easier!

Use ground chicken, or dice chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Set aside until time to cook.

Chop some Thai peppers. The amount you use depends entirely on how much heat you want. When Stephen prepared this for us, he used about half a cup of peppers... I use less. MUCH LESS.

Roll fresh Thai basil into bundles and chop.
Set aside until time to cook.

In a small bowl, mix equal parts of coconut sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. This is the glaze. Set aside until time to cook. (I used about 2 tablespoons of each here.)

OK! When you are ready to cook.... Get your skillet or wok "Screaming Hot."

Add a small amount of cooking oil of your choice. I happened to use sunflower oil this time.

Add the chicken and stir it around.

When the chicken is almost, but not quite "done", add  the peppers. Stir them around. The skillet should stay as HOT as you can keep it.

Next, pour your glaze over the chicken and peppers.  Allow the chicken to finish cooking, which shouldn't take long at all. (Half a minute?)

OK. Turn off the heat. Take your nice pile of  chopped basil, and throw it over the top of the chicken. 

Put a lid over it and let it wilt while you fry some eggs. (You may want to heat the pan for the eggs when you are starting to cook the chicken.)  

Time to plate!

 Put down a bed of rice. Give the basil chicken a good stir, then put a serving over the rice. Top with a fried egg. I was told it is traditional to leave the yolk runny, but if you prefer the yolks cooked hard, that is your choice!

From the time you start cooking until you sit down to eat this is less than 10 minutes.

The amount of chicken I used was two split, boneless, skinless breasts. I used three or four green cayenne peppers, as I didn't have Thai peppers. I have Thai basil growing in my garden. The flavor is slightly different than your regular basil, but any fresh basil would work in this.  I used a good sized handful, the amount is up to your tastes. (I don't think you can add too much!)
You can find Oyster sauce, Fish sauce, Thai peppers, and Thai basil at pretty much any Asian market. Even Walmart carries the sauces... but it is less pricey at the Asian market... at least around here!

This is one food that just makes you want to have it again and again. It is so easy to make, and delicious you may be finding yourself making it every day!