Southern Comfort

Tonights dinner was one of pure comfort, Southern style – Dutch Fried Tomatoes, which I served on toast. The recipe came from a wonderful book full of nostalgia alongside fabulous recipes, The American Diner Cookbook: More Than 450 Recipes and Nostalgia Galore  (Linda Everett and Elizabeth McKeon).  

For me it just has to be white toast for this lovely meal. The bread I used came from my local bakers and was a couple of days old. The best toast is always from a loaf a couple of days old, somehow it seems to crisp up that bit better.

I made several changes to the recipe, simply to make use of the ingredients I had in and avoid the need to shop again and waste my other perfectly good food.

I used spring onions instead of the specified white onion, and cherry tomatoes in place of the sliced red tomatoes. I also added much less sugar – it asked for a quarter of a cup but I used around one heaped teaspoon, anymore and it would have been far too sweet for me; and that is saying something given my sweet tooth.

I toyed with the idea of using double cream instead of sour cream, but I didn’t, and I’m so glad. The sour cream gave the dish a slight edge which prevented it from becoming sickly.

One key point to bear in mind is not to break the cherry tomatoes, just let them burst in their own sweet time, else they can become bitter and in such a luscious creamy meal that is not at all good.

It really is so easy and quick to make. Everything bar the toast is done in one pan so there is hardly any washing up to be done either, always a bonus.

The Recipe:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1 or 2 slices of white toast

1. Heat the butter to foaming point and add the onions, saute until soft.
2. Add the tomatoes and allow to fry gently until the skins begin to ‘pop’
3. Mix the cornflour with the sour cream and add to the pan.
4. Simmer until thickened then add the parsley and seasoning.
5. Pour over the hot slice(s) of toast,
6. Eat.

Share this: