Southern Comfort

Here, the penultimate batch of this year's tomatoes makes a statement as the ultimate burger topping, and jalapenos, fresh from the garden, spice up the homemade pimento cheese.

Sweet Southern Comfort...food, that is!  It doesn't get any better, or more Southern, than this dish.  A delicious burger topped with homemade pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes.  It's definitely not health food, though the fact that there's a veggie burger under all that ooey, gooey goodness, takes the guilt down a notch.  Now, every Southerner knows a good recipe for pimento cheese and, most definitely, knows how to fry up a mean green tomato, but for the rest of you, I'll provide a little help.

Spicy Pimento Cheese
(Prepare ahead of time)

2 cups grated sharp cheddar
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp or more Cayenne pepper
1 or more jalapeno peppers, minced
4oz pimento peppers, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and beat, with a mixer, until well combined. This recipe makes a lot of cheese, so expect to have quite a bit left over.  Try it spread on a Doctor Kracker Pumpkin Seed Cheddar crispbread, for an afternoon snack...or just adjust the recipe to make less. But, that's no fun, now is it?

Fried Green Tomatoes

2 to 3 green tomatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corm meal
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Heat a shallow layer of oil in a skillet, over medium to medium-high heat.  Slice the tomatoes into approximately 1/2 inch slices (I like mine on the thick side).  Pour the milk into a shallow dish, and in another shallow dish, combine the flour and corn meal and season with salt and pepper.  Dip both sides of each slice of tomato into the milk, then dredge in the flour mixture.  Place into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the slices (cook in batches, if necessary). Fry each slice, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both sides.  Keep warm in the oven until needed.
Note: if your tomatoes are large, or you just choose to make more, and the milk and/or flour mixture runs low, simply add more.  Just keep the flour to corn meal ratio 1:1.

For the pictured burgers, warm 4 whole wheat hamburger buns (wrapped in foil) in the oven, while preparing the burgers and tomatoes.  Heat the burgers (I used Amy's brand California Burgers, but use whatever brand you prefer) in a skillet over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until heated through.  Meanwhile, fry the tomatoes.  When all the elements are ready, spread the hamburger buns with mayonnaise and add the veggie burger.  Top each burger with a dollop of cheese and 2-3 green tomato slices.  Enjoy...oh, and have a napkin handy!