Fried Green Tomatoes w Pickled Shrimp n Ranch Dressing

What a loaded title right!?  It's a little bit of everything, call it fusion for your taste buds.  I found this recipe in InStyle Magazine, August 2012 issue, and I can tell you I am a sucker for Gluten-Free fried anything, because fried GF is so rare at restaurants!  I can never just walk into a restaurant even one that may have a gluten-free menu and order the fried breaded clams, or the GF fried beer battered chicken.  

So when I saw this recipe, I felt it was a must to blog.

For Pickled Shrimp:

Serves 4-make one day ahead

2 tbsp. Old Bay seasonings (this brand is gluten-free)

1 lb. shrimp (about 26-30), peeled

1/4 tsp. ground celery seeds

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. fried red pepper flakes

1 tbsp. sea salt

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 fresh bay leaves, or 12 dry

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, minced

1/2 medium Spanish onion, thinly sliced (A Spanish onion is a mildly flavored yellow skinned onion with yellowish-white flowers)

1. Prepare ice bath by filling a medium bowl with half water, and half ice.

2.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add Old Bay and shrimp to pot and immediately reduce heat to low.  Cook for about 2 minutes, or until shrimp are pink through and just cooked.  Plunge them into the ice bath to cool.  Drain and place in the fridge.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Stir.

4.  Combine pickling liquid and shrimp in a large resealable bag and let sit in the fridge for 24 hours.

For Fried Green Tomatoes:

Serves 4 (make just before serving)

12 slices green tomato, 1/3-inch thick (about 3 tomatoes)

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (Bob's Red Mill)

3 eggs, beaten with 1/4 cup cold water 

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup bacon fat, lard, or vegetable oil

1/2 cup ranch dressing ( a gluten-free version, and NOT Hidden Valley ( I have heard way too many cross-contamination stories about their salad dressings, so even though they promote gluten-free and say they are, please steer clear).

1 lb. pickled shrimp (See above recipe)

1 handful of arugula leaves

1.  Season tomato slices with salt.  Set aside.

2.  Find three similarly shaped shallow baking dishes and create an assembly line for dredging: flour in the first dish, eggs in the second, and cornmeal in the third.  One by one, flour a tomato slice on both sides, then dunk it in the egg, and dredge it in the cornmeal.  Stack finished tomatoes on a cutting board.  

3.  In a large cast-iron skillet, heat bacon fat over medium heat.  Being careful not to overcrowd, fry tomatoes in batches until golden, 2-3 minutes per side.  Lay them on a plate lined with paper towels.

4.  Set out 4 plates and spoon 2 tbsp ranch dressing on each.  Put 3 fried green tomato slices on each plate and top with a handful of pickled shrimp.  Garnish with a few arugula leaves.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy! xoxo Julie

www.goodiegoodiegluten-free.blogspot.com