Another excellent way to prepare and serve green tomatoes. This recipe comes from Moro East, the third cookbook of UK chefs Sam[antha] and Sam Clark and a collection of Turkish, Kurdish and Cypriot recipes they gleaned from gardening on an allotment* in London.
fried green tomatoes with garlic and sweet vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
800g green tomatoes [scant of two pounds], cut into 2-3cm wedges
3 garlic cloves, cut into thin matchsticks
2 pinches of dried red chili flakes
1 teaspoon roughly ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet red vinegar or balsamic vinegar
In a large frying pan or iron skillet, “heat the olive oil over high heat. When just hot, add the tomatoes, cut-side down, in a single layer, and fry for a few minutes until browned on the first side. Turn over, one by one, to fry the second cut side. As soon as this starts to colour, shuffle the tomatoes around to make a little room for the garlic and one pinch of chili flakes and cumin, tucking the garlic in so it makes contact with the pan. Once the garlic is light nut-brown, season the dish with salt, pepper and the vinegar. Serve immediately or at room temperature, sprinkled with the remaining chili.”
They suggest that at the beginning of the tomato season, the crop be thinned so you can prepare this lovely side dish. In our case, an unusually cool and early fall in metroChicago has left us with many green tomatoes and reason to prepare distinctive dishes such as this crispy green tomato one.
* An allotment is a huge community garden in the British Isles. Individual gardeners get plots usually about or larger than 165 square feet (50 square meters) with a hut or shed built for storing tools but also providing a place for tea and shelter from rain.