email this pageBut generations of older rural Americans, especially in the South and Midwest, knew that firm, pleasantly tart green tomatoes were excellent not only fried, but pickled, preserved, served as a side or as part of a main dish, and made into pies, sweet breads and cake.
Unlike juicy, red tomatoes green tomatoes are firm, crisp, dry and tart. As a result, their cooking applications are completely different from those of red tomatoes. They hold up to heat, behaving more like an apple than a tomato.
Got a hankering for fried green tomatoes?
Green Tomato Breakfast Cake
When Marion Burros ran this simple recipe in the New York Times, it became the paper’s single most requested recipe. Based on a 40-year-old recipe for plum cake that first appeared in Marion Burros and Lois Levine’s The Elegant but Easy Cookbook, this cake is just as good for dessert as it is for breakfast. We substituted green tomatoes for the plums originally called for.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 green tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
2 teaspoons turbinado or granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 green tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
2 teaspoons turbinado or granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan or baking dish with oil.
2. Cream butter and sugar. When slightly fluffy, beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and sift into the creamed butter mixture; beat well. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Arrange green tomato pieces in concentric circles over batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and cinnamon.
4. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until cake is firm and golden and tests done. Serves 8.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwaon, "Relish the Season," Sept. 2006.
Nutritional Information
2. Cream butter and sugar. When slightly fluffy, beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and sift into the creamed butter mixture; beat well. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Arrange green tomato pieces in concentric circles over batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and cinnamon.
4. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until cake is firm and golden and tests done. Serves 8.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwaon, "Relish the Season," Sept. 2006.
Per serving: 210 calories, 9g fat, 4g prot., 32g carbs., 1g fiber, 115mg sodium.
Green Tomato-Spinach Cheesecake
Mark Boughton
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Tart green tomatoes contrast with the creamy cheese in this somewhat quiche-like dish. Serve as an appetizer with crackers or as a light entrée with a salad.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
6 to 8 green tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups low-fat cottage cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
6 ounces plain chèvre (goat cheese), chilled
Instructions
6 to 8 green tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups low-fat cottage cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
6 ounces plain chèvre (goat cheese), chilled
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a shallow, 9-inch straight-sided baking dish or springform pan with oil.
2. Set aside 1 large or 2 small green tomatoes for garnish. Dice remaining tomatoes, keeping all juices. Combine diced tomatoes and spinach.
3. Combine eggs, flour, cottage cheese and salt, beating well by hand. Combine with tomato mixture and stir well. Add Parmesan and stir again. Crumble goat cheese over mixture (you want distinct little nubbins of goat cheese). Stir a few times and turn into prepared dish. Sliced reserved green tomatoes thinly and press onto top of cheesecake.
4. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until firm and slightly crusty on top. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish Good Food Fast," Sept. 2006.
Nutritional Information
2. Set aside 1 large or 2 small green tomatoes for garnish. Dice remaining tomatoes, keeping all juices. Combine diced tomatoes and spinach.
3. Combine eggs, flour, cottage cheese and salt, beating well by hand. Combine with tomato mixture and stir well. Add Parmesan and stir again. Crumble goat cheese over mixture (you want distinct little nubbins of goat cheese). Stir a few times and turn into prepared dish. Sliced reserved green tomatoes thinly and press onto top of cheesecake.
4. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until firm and slightly crusty on top. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish Good Food Fast," Sept. 2006.
Per serving: 240 calories, 7g fat, 18g prot., 19g carbs., 3g fiber, 520mg sodium.
Green Tomato Relish
A concoction of green tomatoes, apples, dried fruit, plenty of sugar (and molasses) and spices, this is like mincemeat (sans the suet). It’s perfect with cheese and crackers or served along side most any meat.
Ingredients
Ingredients
½ orange, quartered and seeded
1 pound raisins, divided
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1½ quarts green tomatoes, stemmed and chopped
1½ quarts chopped, cored apples
½ pound brown sugar
½ pound pitted prunes, halved
¼ cup dark (not blackstrap) molasses
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
1 pound raisins, divided
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1½ quarts green tomatoes, stemmed and chopped
1½ quarts chopped, cored apples
½ pound brown sugar
½ pound pitted prunes, halved
¼ cup dark (not blackstrap) molasses
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Combine orange (including peel) with half the raisins and vinegar in a food processor. Process until a chunky, even-textured paste-purée is formed, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times. Transfer to a large, heavy, nonreactive pot with remaining raisins.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often (due to the sugar, the mixture will want to stick), 30 to 40 minutes or until thick. The mixture should be dark and very well combined, but the apples and tomatoes, though soft, should still be distinguishable. Cool completely.
3. Spoon the cooled relish into zip-top plastic bags or jars and freeze. Yield: about 4 quarts.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the Season," Sept. 2006.
Nutritional Information
2. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often (due to the sugar, the mixture will want to stick), 30 to 40 minutes or until thick. The mixture should be dark and very well combined, but the apples and tomatoes, though soft, should still be distinguishable. Cool completely.
3. Spoon the cooled relish into zip-top plastic bags or jars and freeze. Yield: about 4 quarts.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, "Relish the Season," Sept. 2006.
Per (1/2-cup) serving: 120 calories, 0g fat, 1g prot., 29g carbs., 2g fiber, 30mg sodium.
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