Fried Tomato Napolean

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Tomatoes

• 3 medium tomatoes (green, beefsteak, or heirloom)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tub Ingles pimento cheese, with or without jalapeños

Remoulade Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creole (or whole grain) mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Prep the tomatoes by slicing into ¼ inch thick rounds. Soak in buttermilk for 15-20 minutes.
2. Make the remoulade sauce by combining mayo, mustards, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, capers and parsley in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate.
3. Fry the tomatoes! In one bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. In another bowl, whisk egg with hot sauce.
4. Remove tomatoes from buttermilk, dredge in flour mixture, dip in egg wash, then coat again with flour mixture.
5. Heat vegetable oil in pan to 350°-375°F. Fry tomatoes 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Assemble the Napolean by starting with a layer of remoulade sauce on the plate, then a fried tomato. Add a layer of pimento cheese, then another tomato. Add another layer if you’d like! Drizzle with remoulade sauce and garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!