Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab

A riff on Maryland’s famous crab and fried green tomatoes.

2-3 green tomatoes, cut into ½” thick slices

½ cup cornmeal

¼ cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 ½ tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh

Pepper

½ cup flour

2 eggs

Oil for frying

Crab

1-170 g tin crab meat, well drained or equivalent cooked fresh crab

1 green onion, finely sliced

¼ cup corn niblets

¼ cup finely diced unpeeled Granny Smith apple

1-2 tbsp mayonnaise

Juice of ½ a lemon

Salt, to season

Lemon Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Zest of 1 lemon

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Lemon juice to thin the dressing

Thyme or parsley sprig for garnish

Baby lettuce greens

In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, ¼ cup flour, salt, sugar, thyme and pepper. Mix well. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Place the remaining ½ cup flour in a bowl or ziplock bag.

Dredge the tomato slices in the ½ cup flour. Tap off any excess and then dip in the egg mixture and then in the cornmeal mixture. Set aside on a plate. When all the tomatoes are prepared, fry them in a medium-hot skillet with oil. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, mix together the crab meat, green onion, corn niblets, and apple. Add in 1-2 tbsp mayonnaise and the lemon juice. Season well with salt. Set aside.

To make the Lemon Dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon zest, minced garlic and Dijon. Add the lemon juice to make a dressing consistency.

When the tomatoes are all cooked, lay a handful of lettuce greens on a plate. Top with 1 slice to green tomato. Top with a spoonful of crab and a drizzle of the lemon dressing. Lay another slice of tomato on top followed by a spoonful of crab and the dressing. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.