Recipe: Fried green tomato BLT

Recipe provided by Yardbird Southern Table & Bar at the Venetian

Sunday, May 31, 2015 | 2 a.m.

This isn’t your typical BLT. Executive Chef Todd Harrington puts a modern spin on the classic by ditching the bread and adding cheese. It’s one of Yardbird’s signature Southern dishes and will be featured June 5 at the Carnival of Cuisine, a tasting party at the Palazzo.

For the sandwiches

6 oz slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

6 pieces sliced green tomatoes

6 tsp sweet tomato sauce (packaged or homemade)

1/2 cup canola oil

For the Pimento cheese spread

8 oz cream cheese

2 oz diced roasted red pepper or drained pimentos

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

For the Breading

1/2 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste

2 eggs

2 cups panko bread crumbs

For the Frisee salad

6 oz yellow frisee lettuce (or another sturdy lettuce)

1 tbs chopped chives

2 tbs lemon vinaigrette (packaged or homemade)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Prepare the tomatoes: Mix the flour, salt and pepper, and place in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the two eggs. Pour the panko bread crumbs on a shallow plate. Coat the tomatoes in the flour mixture, one at a time, making sure to knock off any extra flour, dip the tomato into the eggs, then into the panko. Be sure to coat the tomatoes evenly, then set them aside.

3. Sear, then cook — like you would a steak — the thick slices of bacon to render out most of the fat.

4. Mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers and garlic powder in a bowl and set aside.

15. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s to temperature, add the tomatoes and fry them until they are golden brown. Once cooked, remove them and drain them on a paper towel. Season to taste with salt.

6. Mix the frisee lettuce, chopped chives and lemon vinaigrette in a bowl and set aside.

7. To plate, dollop a bit of tomato sauce onto a plate and place a fried green tomato on top. Top with 1 ounce of the pimento cheese mixture, 1 slice of bacon, another dollop of tomato sauce and 1 ounce of the frisee salad.