As a Kosher personal chef, I often get asked what my favorite food is. The answer, invariably, is always tomatoes. Ever since I was a young girl, I have always loved tomatoes (there are over 100 varieties of tomatoes and I love them all!). To me, there is no better snack than a perfect bowl of cherry tomatoes that have a slightly tart taste but which have a hint of sweetness.
I love to make all kinds of dishes that are tomato based, such as pasta sauces, salads and soups. When I moved to America 24 years ago, I heard that people in this country batter and fry tomatoes. This made my day! I love to fry and I love tomatoes — this was a perfect marriage of two of my favorite culinary experiences. The kosher recipe below features this perfect marriage.
Fried Green Tomatoes with Herbed Goat Cheese
Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 log herbed goat cheese by Natural and Kosher
1 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup parmesan cheese grated by Natural and Kosher
4-6 green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup canola oil
Directions
1. Place the flour, eggs, and panko bread crumbs mixed with parmesan, in 3 separate shallow bowls.
2. Pat each slice of the tomato dry to remove any moisture.
3. Spread a ½ a tablespoon of goat cheese over one slice of tomato.
4. Dip the tomato/goat cheese slice, first in the flour, then in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), then the panko-cheese mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.
5. Set aside each crumbed tomato slice on a tray lined with parchment paper and continue to batter up the rest of the tomatoes.
6. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the tomatoes until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
Serve immediately.
