Good Day Gourmet recipe: Fried green tomato sandwich

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - If you get bored with the regular tomato sandwich, or have a plethora of them in your garden, here's one way you can put them to work.

Vanessa created this fried green tomato sandwich recipe to spice things up. This sandwich is delicious. It uses green tomatoes, sharp cheddar, garlic aioli and arugula.

You could use red tomatoes, but make sure they are firm. This recipe offers up a serving of four sandwiches. Here's what you need to make it:

INGREDIENTS:

Sandwich

1 green tomato
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking oil, for frying
Sharp cheddar slices
Baby arugula
Hamburger buns

Garlic Aioli

1 cup mayo
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Fill two mixing bowls--one with buttermilk, salt, and pepper; the other with cornmeal, flour, garlic power, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
2) Slice green tomato into four thick slices (remove the heels and the stem).
3) Dredge the tomato slices in the buttermilk, then in the cornmeal mixture. Then, repeat the process.
4) Fry tomato slices in a pot filled with cooking oil on medium heat. Cook until golden brown, around 5 minutes. Drain slices on a plate with a paper towel.
5) Mix together aioli ingredients in a bowl.
6) Toast hamburger buns and lay a slice of cheese on one side of each bun while the bread is still warm (so the cheese melts).
7) Spread aioli on the other side of the bun.
8) Layer on a fried tomato and a handful of baby arugula.