WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their weekly Local Dish Cooking segment. Below, Brian and Lisa feature recipes starring a favorite of summertime meals – the tomato. Check out your local farmers market for an abundant selection of sun-kissed tomatoes.
Lisa advises to make sure your ingredients are fresh in this delicious and classic version of a tomato sandwich.
- 4 slices whole grain bread
- 4 slices ripe tomato
- 6 slices apple wood thick sliced bacon, cooked
- 2 slices hoop Cheese
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1⁄2 cups arugula
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Combine mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Spread 1 tablespoon on each slice of bread. Place the following on 2 slices of bread to create sandwich: 3 slices of bacon, 2 slices tomato, ¼ cup arugula, 1 slice of hoop cheese, 3 slices of avocado. Top with remaining slices of bread. Recipe makes 2 sandwiches.
Make extra batter when putting together this sandwich to use when frying okra.
Open-faced Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
- 4 English muffins
- 3 green tomatoes (sliced ½ inch thick)
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1⁄4 cup milk
- 1⁄4 cup Texas Pete hot sauce
- 2 cups self-rising cornmeal seasoned with 1 tablespoon of your favorite Cajun seasoning
- 1 1⁄2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Place tomato slices on wire rack, and sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt. Turn slices over, and sprinkle with another ½ teaspoon of salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Blot tomatoes with a paper towel.
Whisk together the eggs, flour, milk and Texas Pete until smooth. Combine the corn flour and Cajun seasoning on a plate. Dip the tomato slices into the batter and then dredge in the corn flour shaking off any excess. Place back onto wire rack until all tomato slices are complete.
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tomatoes, in batches until golden brown and crisp, turning after about 2 minutes. Top with a pinch of salt.
Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, chives, parsley and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk in black pepper, ¾ cup feta and ¼ teaspoon salt.
Split the English muffins and toast until golden brown. Top each muffin with a tablespoon of buttermilk dressing then a fried green tomato. Drizzle with more dressing, sprinkle with bacon, dill, chives, parsley and remaining feta.
Lisa suggest peeling the for this sandwich, and adding bacon.
Grilled Tomato and Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Sandwich
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1⁄2 cup jalapeno pimento cheese
Toast one side of bread. Flip over and place 2 slices of tomato on the untoasted side and top with pimento cheese. Place back under the broiler and melt the cheese a little. Top with other slice of bread, toasted side up and cut into triangles. Recipe makes one sandwich.
Use the leftover pesto mayonnaise in the recipe below as a delicious dip for chicken or vegetables.
- 1 large heirloom Tomato
- 1 package large flatbread
- 1 avocado
- 12 medium-sized shrimp
- 1 small red onion
- 2 leaves of Romaine lettuce
Pesto mayonnaise:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄4 cup basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
Combine all pesto mayonnaise ingredients until smooth. Place shrimp in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until pink throughout, turning halfway through. Lay flatbread on cutting board and spread 1 tablespoon of pesto mayonnaise leaving a ½-inch border. Place lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion and shrimp across the wrap and roll the wrap up. Recipe makes 2 wraps.
Notes