Although my birthplace and current home is North Carolina, I spent most of my life growing up across the border in Tennessee. The state is famous for: Country Music, Elvis, Davy Crockett, Dolly Parton, and more importantly the cuisine. In this part of my recipe series "Tastes of the South", we will be looking at a couple recipes from Tennessee. So grab you a glass of sweet tea or Tennessee's other offical drink Jack Daniels. Enjoy the recipes I'm about to share with you.
Fried Tomatoes
The state crop of Tennessee is the tomato. People in Tennessee love their cash crop that they fix it in different kinds of ways.
Ingredients:
Oil
4 green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rings
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch paprika
Buttermilk Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1 lime, juiced
4 scallions, sliced thin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a deep-fryer, preheat oil to 350 degrees F.
Season tomatoes, on both sides, with salt and pepper. Place flour and garlic powder in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat eggs with the milk. In another dish, mix bread crumbs with cayenne and paprika. Dredge tomatoes through the flour, then the eggs, and then through the bread crumbs. Add only a few pieces to the fryer at a time, so they can cook evenly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:
Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the apple cider and brown sugar. Allow to reduce until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce and lime juice and whisk well. Add in the scallions and the apple cider mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with Fried Green Tomatoes.
Tennessee Hummingbird Cake
The state bird of Tennessee is the hummingbird which is what this cake is named after.
Ingredients:
You will need:
3 cups plain flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 tablespoons cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1⁄2 cups cooking oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1⁄2 cups chopped bananas
2 cups chopped nuts
1 (10 ounce) can crushed pineapple
Directions:
Sift all dry ingredients.
Set aside.
Beat eggs,add oil and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients and beat about 2 minutes.
Add bananas,pineapple,nuts and fold in with a fork--don't beat.
Bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees.
Non alcoholic Apple Pie Moonshine
Make no mistake about it I did say Apple pie moonshine. But this is the weak stuff, non alcoholic. But you can still serve it in mason jars or jugs just like good old Smoky Mountain White Lightning.
Ingredients:
One gallon of apple juice
One gallon of apple cider
3 cups of sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
Directions:
Mix everything in a large pot and cover with a lid, bring it to a boil (heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 20 minutes). Let it cool and serve.
More Southern goodies from yours truly. I hope you enjoy this mytake and all of my other recipe and food mytakes. Next time join me on a trip dow the Mississippi River to the bayou country of Louisiana.
That hummingbird cake looks delicious. Those fried tomatoes look like they would be nice for something like breakfast. The moonshine, a real summer drink for a very hot afternoon.
What Girls & Guys Said
Opinion
1Opinion
Hmm the fried tomatoes look good. I have tried something similar but they were tomatillos
They are pretty good if done right. I believe the moonshine would be better if it actually had alcohol in it haha, but what are tomaltillos
It's a Mexican plant used in salsas and preserves
That hummingbird cake looks delicious. Those fried tomatoes look like they would be nice for something like breakfast. The moonshine, a real summer drink for a very hot afternoon.
That is 1 state above mine. :D
For a second I thought the cake one was like a carrot cake.