Fried Green Tomatoes with Green Chile Mayonnaise (Alabama)

These salty-sweet tomatoes wedges, coated in buttermilk and panko crumbs and then fried to crispy perfection - first gained notoriety from the book "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" and the 1991 critically acclaimed film that followed. At its fried-green-tomato-hocking peak, the real Irondale, Alabama restaurant, Irondale Cafe sliced over 60 lbs of the firm, petite tomatoes a day for crowds of customers. Dip yours in this creamy, spicy mayo to round out the dish's palate-bending flavours.

Mayonnaise:
1 ear corn
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 roasted poblano chile, fresh or canned, seeded
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked

Tomatoes:
2 large green tomatoes (1 lb)
vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
sea salt
all-purpose flour, unbleached for dredging
2 cups buttermilk
1 lime, cut in wedges

For the Mayonnaise:  Boil the corn in a small pot of salted water or microwave for 3-4 minutes. Cool.

Cut the kernels from the cob and then run a knife along the cobs to press out the milky juices into the bowl. Discard the cob or save for making a broth.

Blend the corn kernels in the milky juices, mayonnaise, sour cream and chile, together in a mini-food processor until smooth. Season with ½ tsp. salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Tomatoes:  Cut the tomatoes into wedges, about ¾” at the thickest, about 16 wedges per tomato.

Pour 2-3" of oil in to a medium pot and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers between 350-360°F.

Mix together the panko and cayenne with 1 Tbsp. salt in a bowl. Put the flour in another bowl, and in a third bowl pour the buttermilk. (Have a bowl of water for dipping your fingers to keep them clean while breading.)

Dredge the tomatoes wedges first in the buttermilk, then the flour, then again in the buttermilk and then finally dredge in the panko, turning as needed to make sure they are well coated. Working in batches of 4 or 5 pieces, fry the tomatoes, turning as needed, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and season with salt.

Serve the tomatoes with the mayonnaise and lime wedges.

Makes 8 appetizer servings.