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Fried green tomatoes are a culinary dish usually found in the United States, made from unripe (green) tomatoes coated with cornmeal and fried.[1][failed verification]
Recipes in the early 20th century were mainly published in the Northeastern United States and Midwestern United States. They became known as a food of the Southern United States after they were featured in the film Fried Green Tomatoes.[2]
Traditional preparation of fried green tomatoes begins by cutting the tomatoes into approximately 1/4-inch (~0.6 cm) slices. They are then seasoned with salt and pepper, coated with plain, coarse cornmeal, and shallow friedinbacon fat for a few minutes each side, or until golden brown. Shallow frying is preferred, as the tomatoes do not float in the oil, which allows the weight of the tomato to press the cornmeal to the underside of the tomato.
Alternatives include using breadcrumbsorflour instead of cornmeal and frying in vegetable oil or other fat.
The sliced tomatoes may be dipped in a liquid before the cornmeal is added. This liquid is usually buttermilk or beaten egg; egg results in a slightly firmer texture than buttermilk. Liquids are used because cornmeal does not readily stick to tomato slices. Adding the liquid helps the cornmeal stay in place during the cooking process. It also results in the coating on the tomato becoming thicker and less crunchy when compared to tomatoes cooked without a liquid wash.
Historian Robert F. Moss found that from 1900-1911, there were 11 recipes for the dish published in U.S. newspapers. The articles were from the Northeastern United States and Midwestern United States.[3] Moss believes that the dish originated from those areas, "perhaps with a link to Jewish immigrants".[4]
According to Moss, instructors in cooking in home economics courses adopted the dish.[4] The sole instance of the recipe in the 1920s in the southern United States' newspapers came from an article that was in syndication across the United States, instead of being specifically from the South. From the 1930s to the 1960s, there was one instance of the recipe in Southern American newspapers. After the film Fried Green Tomatoes was released, Americans associated the dish with the South despite the lack of evidence that the dish was previously widely prepared in the U.S. South.[3]
As of 2017[update], within West Virginia, the dish is more often found in the southern portion of the state.[3]
While fried green tomatoes are usually considered a southern dish they can be found in northern Pennsylvania Dutch homes as well. The northern version is more likely to be made with white flour rather than corn meal.[5] Also, green tomatoes tend to be prepared at the end of the season in the north when the remaining fruit is harvested before the first frosts, whereas green tomatoes are picked throughout the season in the south.[6]
Fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade is a southern and Creole combination served at many[citation needed] restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana.[7]
While fried green tomatoes have traditionally been a side dish, they are sometimes used in main dishes:
