Fried tomatoes

I had fried tomatoes at a restaurant the other day and they were delicious.  I tried to make them for dinner Tuesday night, but something wasn’t quite right.  I used milk as the liquid to adhere the breading, which I think was the first problem.  I used too much basil [fresh from my garden – I got a little overzealous in my excitement to use home grown stuff].  The breading wasn’t spicy enough.  Too much balsamic vinegar.

 

My recipe was

 

2 large, not over-ripe red tomatoes, sliced evenly

Milk

Bread crumbs

¾ lb Bacon, fried

Drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Mozzarella ball, thinly sliced

S and P to taste

 

Cook the bacon, drain on paper towels and reserve the drippings in the skillet.  Dip tomato slices into the milk then into the bread crumbs.  Pat to make sure crumbs adhere.  Fry tomatoes in the bacon grease.  Remove to a plate.  Snip fresh basil over tomatoes.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Top with Mozzarella slice and bacon.  S and P to taste.

 

Next time I think I am going to use egg or an egg/milk mix for the liquid and cracker crumbs ground in the food processer with a little Italian seasoning and some cayenne pepper.  I’ll also be a little more judicious in my use of the balsamic vinegar and basil.  Too much of a good thing, I guess.  I’ll also take out most of the bacon grease and only use what I need to brown the tomatoes.  I think they got soggy from too much grease.