Farmer Steven with Just Natural Farms has green tomatoes in the CSA boxes (CSA = Community Supported Agriculture) this week! What shall we do with them? Hmmm… here’s one of our favorite recipes that uses green tomato. It’s from the recipe files of Culinary Center of Kansas City Chef/Instructor Sandy DiGiovanni. Serve up this colorful, unique dish to friends and family, and ENJOY!
Green Tomato and Vidalia Onion Gratin
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound bacon or pancetta
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
- 4 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Render bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the breadcrumbs to a small bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet and stir into the bread crumbs. Add the onion rounds to the skillet in batches and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side, without breaking the round slices apart, until there is some golden color.
To assemble the gratin, overlap the green tomato slices in one row in a 9- x 11-inch baking dish. Next, make a row slightly overlapping of the partially cooked onion rounds, being careful to keep the slices intact. Repeat steps until all tomatoes and onions are used. Season tomatoes and onions lightly with salt and heavily with pepper.
Crumble the bacon over the vegetables; sprinkle the grated cheddar over the top, followed by the bread crumbs. Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. If the top is getting too brown, loosely cover with foil. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
