Ingredients
- 16 small (golf-ball size) green tomatoes
- 6 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups stone-ground yellow corn meal
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
- 13 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
- 13 cup all-purpose flour
- plus extra for dusting
- Basil Sauce
- 4 tablespoons finely diced Smithfield ham
Instructions
- Trim and discard the ends of the tomatoes, and halve tomatoes horizontally.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine 4 of the eggs, heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix until well blended.
- Dip tomato halves in egg mixture, turning to coat completely, then dust well with corn meal.
- In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 cup of the oil until sizzling.
- Add tomato halves, and fry until golden brown on each side, about 1 minute a side.
- Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels.
- In a large bowl combine the remaining 2 eggs, Old Bay seasoning, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, parsley, red pepper and baking powder.
- Stir until well blended.
- Gently fold in the crab meat without breaking up the lumps of meat.
- Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of flour, and fold until just blended.
- In a clean skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until sizzling.
- Divide crab meat mixture into 16 cakes about the same diameter as the tomato halves (about 2 1/2 tablespoons each).
- Lightly dust each cake with flour, and drop into hot oil.
- Fry until golden brown on each side, about 1 minute a side.
- To assemble, pour a small pool of Basil Sauce on each of eight serving plates.
- Place two fried green tomato halves in each pool.
- Top each tomato half with a crab cake, then with another fried tomato half.
- Garnish with a sprinkling of diced ham, and serve immediately.
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