It’s the time of year where we find ourselves wrapped in a warm breeze under the summer sun. 

What better way to celebrate the season than with a fun Southern twist on some delicious tacos?

If you’ve been following our blog, you’ve probably noticed we love fried green tomatoes. They are the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and have the best texture to be breaded and tossed in oil for a crispy snack! We love to explore the endless flavor possibilities that fried green tomatoes can add to any dish, which is why we were so excited to share delectable recipes like our Summertime Fried Green Tomato Salad. This week, we are trying out a unique recipe that meshes Southern comfort food with a staple of Central American cuisine. 

Historically, Southern culture, especially when it comes to culinary practices, has been heavily influenced by the native populations of the region like Native Americans and indigenous communities of Central America, as well as through the introduction of African traditions, too. Food history is incredibly complex, but many cultural practices, traditions, and attitudes can be seen reflected in the cuisine of regions across the world. If you’re interested in reading more about how diverse the roots of Southern cuisine are, Why The Story of Southern Food Is As Much About People As Dishes and The Roots of Southern Food are great introductory resources to the topic!  

This recipe is a blend of many aspects of this cultural culmination that makes up Southern food, and it has a unique and incredible taste, which is why we couldn’t wait to share it with you! Celebrate the flavors of the season with this one-of-a-kind recipe that can easily be customized to fit whatever your flavor preferences may be! 

Making mini-fried green tomato tacos...

Tacos are a pretty easy dish to make. In fact, it’s much more difficult to make tacos so wrong that they can’t be enjoyed than it is to make an amazing, high-quality taco. As long as you’re not accidentally mixing up shredded carrots for shredded cheese, you’re more than likely going to be savoring a delightful dish! Tacos come in so many sizes and styles with unlimited flavor possibilities, but they typically have a host of standard components for the filling. What makes tacos such a fun food is that you can easily mix and match ingredients to find your perfect flavorful fit!

You don’t necessarily need a recipe for great tacos, but when trying out new flavors, having one to go off of surely doesn’t hurt. Here’s what you’ll need for this familiar favorite with a Southern twist: 

Ingredients

•  2 pounds green (unripened) grape tomatoes  
• 1 cup flour 
• ¼ cup yellow cornmeal 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• Vegetable oil 
• Your favorite taco ingredients
• Fry daddy 

Directions

1. Set your fry daddy to 400º and make sure it’s ready for use.  
2. Cut the grape tomatoes in half and place in a medium bowl of water, set aside. 
3. In a small bow, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well. 
4. After a few minutes, remove the tomato halves from the water and toss in the flower mixture, shaking off any excess. 
5. Place your breaded tomatoes in the oil in the fry daddy and fry for 3-4 minutes, making sure to stir so all sides are evenly fried. 
6. Remove tomatoes from the oil and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil and prepare your tacos however you’d like.
7. Once tacos are ready, top them with your fried green tomatoes and enjoy! 

Fried green tomatoes add such a unique flair to any dish they accompany, so why not add a Southern twist to your favorite tacos? We hope you enjoyed this recipe and if you tried it, be sure to let us know by sharing your results and tagging us on social media! 

For more information on Table and Thyme, contact them today! Follow us on our social media: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest to see the other amazing events, lavishing grazing tables and beautiful graze boxes we have created.