I read a social media post the other day by an old friend who lives in the deep south. He and his wife had taken a road trip for a vacation and stopped at a small town cafe that was advertising fried green tomatoes. They are a true delicacy in that part of the country, often consumed with a large glass of ice cold buttermilk.

By this time of the year in the deep south, there are big green tomatoes ready to eat as the days heat up to the 90s and beyond and folks start dreaming of their first summer crops to add to the staples of collard greens and white beans.

Up here in the far northeast part of the country we’re having a pretty darn good spring with temperatures threatening to go above the mid 70s this week. Nothing short of a miracle for those of us anticipating putting away the sweaters for a spell at last!

Also up here where Bar Harbor Foods® is located, we do our darndest to work some seafood into just about everything. So our fried tomato recipe is a little different, but I guarantee just as lip-smacking good as anywhere else.

I once had an Early Girl tomato at my friend Jay’s house, and I thought that was the best thing I’d ever had. But then I visited friends in Senegal, and I ate sea urchin pulled fresh out of the sea. It tasted like the ocean.

Alice Waters

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 large yellow tomatoes

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil, as needed

1 (15-oz) can Bar Harbor® Blue Crab Bisque

1/8 cup light or half-and-half cream

1 red tomato, diced, to garnish on top

Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Slice tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and sprinkle each side with salt and cracked pepper; set aside.: In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together milk and egg; set aside. In another large shallow bowl, blend cornmeal, flour, bread crumbs and cayenne pepper; set aside.

In a saucepan, whisk together crab bisque and cream. Heat over low and keep warm while cooking tomatoes.

Dip tomatoes in crumbs, then egg wash and crumbs again, making sure you pat the crumb mixture firmly onto each side of the tomato. Set on a plate and repeat with remaining slices. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add as many tomato slices as will fit and cook 3-5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Remove and repeat with any remaining slices, adding more oil as needed.

To serve, ladle equal amounts of warmed crab bisque onto each of four serving plates. Lay two grilled slices of green tomato onto bisque and top with chopped red tomatoes and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately