Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail : "Fried Green Tomatoes"

Yes, it's the quintessential chick flick. Yes, Mary Louise Parker will make you do that "ugly" cry in it. Yes, your significant other will stare at you oddly when you scream out "Towandaaaaaaaaa!!!!".

But "Fried Green Tomatoes" also happens to be a terrific movie full of inspiration for foodies everywhere.

I've put together a simple southern meal that I think Ruth and Idgie would've served at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Why not invite your besties over for an evening of good grub and girl power?

Fried Green Tomatoe Po' Boys

Recipe Courtesy of Yahoo Shine

Ingredients:

French bread baguettes
Rémoulade Sauce Shredded lettuce
Fried Green Tomatoes
Cooked bacon (No pork on your fork? Feel free to use Turkey Bacon!)
Avocado slices

To make the fried green tomatoes:

Ingredients
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 medium-size, firm green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices (about 1 1/4 lb.)
Vegetable oil

Whisk together egg and buttermilk. Combine cornmeal mix, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup flour in shallow dish. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375° over medium-high heat. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt to taste.

Rémoulade Sauce
Stir together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sliced green onions, 2 Tbsp. Creole mustard, 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic, and 1 tsp. horseradish. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Directions:

Cut baguettes into 6-inch lengths. Split each lengthwise, cutting to but not through the other side; spread with Rémoulade Sauce. Layer with lettuce, Fried Green Tomatoes, bacon, and avocado.

Praline Turtle Cake

Recipe Courtesy of Country Living

Ingredients

1/2 cup(s) Butter
1 cup(s) Brown Sugar
1 can(s) (14 ounces) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup(s) Chopped Pecans
2 cup(s) All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup(s) Unsweetened Cocoa
2 cup(s) Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) Baking Soda
1 teaspoon(s) Salt
2 large 2 Large Eggs
1 cup(s) Sour Cream
1/2 cup(s) Canola Oil1 teaspoon(s) Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon(s) White Vinegar
1/2 cup(s) Fudge Topping
1/2 cup(s) Chocolate Chips, melted

Directions

Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans and fit a circle of parchment paper large enough to cover 1 inch up the side of each cake pan. Heat the butter, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil.

Divide the sugar mixture between the prepared pans. Sprinkle 3/4 cup pecans over sugar mixture and set aside to cool. Combine the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, vanilla, and vinegar, and 1 cup hot water and mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the cake pans -- over sugar mixture -- and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake center comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn cakes out onto a cooling rack. Remove the paper and cool completely.

Assemble the cake: Spread the fudge topping over the sugar mixture side of one cake layer. Place the second layer over the first and drizzle with the melted chocolate and the remaining 1/4 cup pecans. Frost the cake sides with your favorite chocolate icing.

Memphis Iced Tea

Recipe Courtesy of The Neelys, Food Network

Ingredients:

Ice
Whiskey
1 can soda
Sweet iced tea
Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions:

Fill 4 tall glasses with ice cubes. To each glass add a shot of whiskey, a spritz of soda and top with sweet iced tea. Stir to combine and garnish with a lemon slice.

Yummm! Southern Fried Jerk Chicken

My Mother is the daughter of a Bajan woman and My Dad is a Good Ole Boy from North Carolina... so I grew up eating Curry Goat and Collard Greens, ya know? I won't get started on the influence from the Jewish man who married my Bajan Grandmother..... LOL

I saw this recipe and my heart just started to SIIIIIING.... because this recipe is a great way to honor my Southern and West Indian roots simultaneously.... not to mention get my grub on Yum Yum-style!!! Tee Heeeeee!

Southern Fried Jerk Chicken
Recipe Courtesy of Jamaicans.com

INGREDIENTS:

1-Cup Buttermilk
⅔ cup Red Stripe Beer
8 Drumsticks
1 cup yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup all Purpose Flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup Dry Jerk Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 Tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
Vegetable or Peanut Oil for frying

METHOD:

Combine the Red Stripe Beer and Cup Buttermilk in a large glass bowl.
Add Chicken to the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, jerk seasoning, cornstarch, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix to combine.
Drain the chicken and discard the marinade.
Toss the Chicken lightly one at a time to coat them. You can use a zip lock bag with the breading mixture to do this.
Place the breaded chicken on a large baking sheet lined with wax paper. Be sure they do not touch each other. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Pour oil in 2-3 inch deep skillet. Heat oil to approx 355f (check with frying thermometer).
Add the chicken 2 at a time. Fry each for about 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown
Remove each piece of chicken and place on paper towel to drain oil. Transfer to an oven safe platter once oil is drained.
Place in an oven set at 200f to keep warm. Once all the chicken is cooked, it is best to serve immediately.

And I think that a good accompaniment to this is a delish oven-baked sweet potato fries!!


Sweet Potato Oven Baked Fries Recipe
Recipe Courtesy of RecipeTips.com

Ingredients

- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon course kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic pepper, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika


Directions

Preheat oven to 450ºF.
Generously coat baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray or olive oil.
Peel sweet potatoes.
Cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks that are approximately 4 to 5-inches long, or cut into wedges.
Place potatoes into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with *seasonings and stir until potatoes are evenly coated.
Place potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet. Potatoes may need to be baked in 2 separate batches.
Bake approximately 10 minutes.
Remove and turn potatoes over, return to oven.
Bake potatoes an additional 20 minutes or until done.
Season to taste and serve hot.

*Any combination of your favorite seasonings can replace those listed in the ingredients.