Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab Mornay

Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab Mornay

INGREDIENTS

Tomatoes:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Londonderry Spice
• 1 cup buttermilk (1 cup whole milk, 1 tbsp lemon juice)
• ½ cup cornmeal
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 4 green tomatoes, sliced into 3/8-inch slices
• 2-3 cups canola oil

Crab Mixture:

• 1 lb jumbo lump crab
• 4 tbsp butter

Mornay Sauce:

• 2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 2 oz grated gruyere cheese
• 4 cups butternut squash, cut into chunks
• 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 2 Tbsp Londonderry Blend
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 8 cups chicken stock (you may sub for vegetable stock)

DIRECTIONS

1. Scoop the flour and Londonderry Spice onto a plate and pour the buttermilk into another bowl. Mix the cornmeal, bread crumbs, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne on another plate or in a bowl.

2. Dip one tomato slice into the flour mixture, tossing so both sides and all the edges are coated. Dip in the buttermilk then dredge in the cornmeal bread crumb mixture, gently patting both sides so the coating adheres. Place on a wire rack and continue with the rest of the tomatoes.

3. Pour ½ inch of oil in a skillet. Heat the oil to 350° F.

4. Fry the tomatoes in batches, flipping once so both sides are lightly browned. Drain the tomatoes on another wire rack that’s set over paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the tomatoes.

5. For the crab mixture, melt butter in a sauté pan and toss crab meat to warm.

6. For the mornay, melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the flour to make a roux. Whisk roux until pale, do not let it brown. Add the milk while slowing stirring until your sauce becomes thick.Turn the heat down to simmer and add salt and pepper.

7. Add gruyere cheese until fully incorporated and turn off heat.

8. Stack two of your fried green tomatoes, pile on your buttery crab meat and top with the mornay sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions.