Cajun BLT with Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Shallow bowls for breading station
• •Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the remoulade

   Whisk together the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, hot sauce, minced capers, horseradish, green onion, garlic, lemon juice, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Taste it. This is your chance to adjust: more hot sauce if you want heat, more mustard if you want tang. The remoulade should have a kick that wakes up your palate without burning it down. Refrigerate while you prepare everything else.

   Make this remoulade a day ahead if you can. The flavors marry overnight and become something more than the sum of their parts.
2. 2

   Set up the breading station

   Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. The breading should smell like Louisiana when you stir it. If it doesn't make your nose happy, add more Cajun seasoning.

   Use one hand for wet, one hand for dry. This keeps your fingers from turning into cornmeal clubs.
3. 3

   Bread the tomatoes

   Dip each tomato slice into the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off. Press both sides firmly into the cornmeal mixture, making sure every bit of surface is coated. Set the breaded slices on a wire rack and let them rest for five minutes. This brief wait helps the coating adhere so it won't slide off in the hot oil.

4. 4

   Cook the bacon

   Lay the bacon slices in a cold cast iron skillet. Starting in a cold pan lets the fat render slowly, which means crispier bacon without burnt edges. Turn the heat to medium and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon reaches your preferred crispness. I like mine with a little chew left in the center, but you do you. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of Cajun seasoning while the bacon is still hot.

   Save that bacon fat. Strain it into a jar and keep it in your refrigerator. It's liquid gold for cooking eggs, seasoning beans, or adding depth to any savory dish.
5. 5

   Fry the green tomatoes

   Pour vegetable oil into a clean skillet (or wipe out the bacon skillet if it's not too gunky) to a depth of about a quarter inch. Heat over medium-high until the oil shimmers and a pinch of cornmeal sizzles immediately when dropped in. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, fry the tomato slices until golden brown and crispy, about two to three minutes per side. The coating should be deeply golden, not pale blonde. Listen for a steady sizzle. If it goes quiet, your oil is too cool.

   Don't flip too early. Let that crust set up and release from the pan naturally. If it sticks, it needs more time.
6. 6

   Drain and season

   Transfer the fried tomatoes to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet. A wire rack keeps the bottoms crispy; paper towels make them soggy. Season with a pinch of salt immediately while they're hot. The salt will stick better and bloom into the crust.

7. 7

   Toast the bread

   Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Toast in a skillet over medium heat, buttered side down, until golden brown with some darker spots. Good toast should have texture: crispy edges, a little give in the center. This takes about two minutes per side. Don't walk away.

8. 8

   Build the sandwiches

   Spread a generous tablespoon of remoulade on the untoasted side of each bread slice. On four slices, layer three bacon strips, two or three fried green tomato slices, and two leaves of lettuce. Top with the remaining bread slices, remoulade side down. Press gently to compact everything. Cut on the diagonal because that's how sandwiches should be cut, and serve immediately.

   The order matters. Bacon on the bottom gives you a stable base. Tomatoes in the middle stay protected. Lettuceon top provides cushion for the bread. Architecture matters in sandwich building.

Chef Tips

• •Green tomatoes should be firm and heavy for their size, with no soft spots or yellowing. True green tomatoes are unripe, not a special variety. Hit your farmers market in late summer or ask your grocer to set some aside before they ripen.
• •If you can't find Creole mustard, mix equal parts Dijon and whole grain mustard. It won't be the same, but it'll get you close. At Lagniappe, we use Zatarain's.
• •This sandwich does not travel well. The fried tomatoes get soggy within about twenty minutes of assembly. Make it, eat it, enjoy it in the moment. That's the bayou way.
• •For extra heat, add sliced pickled jalapeños or a few dashes of hot sauce directly on the bacon. Start mild and build up. You can always add heat; you can't take it away.

Advance Preparation

• •Remoulade can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavors improve with time.
• •Bacon can be cooked up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat briefly in a skillet if desired.
• •Green tomatoes can be breaded up to 1 hour ahead and kept on a wire rack, uncovered, at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or the coating gets gummy.
• •Fried green tomatoes must be served within 15 minutes of frying. There is no making these ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 260g)