A bumper crop of beefsteak tomatoes is ripening on the vine, but a few of the earliest fruits grew misshapen and scarred. When I found one of the contorted tomatoes on the ground, I checked several university Extension Web sites to make sure I wasn't dealing with the dread fungus-caused blight that is decimating tomato crops across eastern states. (Not that Colorado is anywhere near the epidemic.) To my relief, I learned the deformity, known as cat facing, is not biological in origin. In other words, insects, bacteria, fungus, viruses and the like are not the cause. Cat facing is associated with one or more factors: Cool weather, drought, extreme heat or certain pesticides. Exposure to the latter is highly unlikely considering I bought the tomato plants as organically grown seedlings and avoid use of pesticides in the garden and surrounding lawn. Varieties that bear larger fruits, such as beefsteaks, are more susceptible to cat facing. Transplanting too early in the season or an unusually cool, wet season can both be contributors. And earlier in the season, the Colorado front range was downright Seattle-like, so that's my hypothesis for the current crooked fruit. Despite their ugly appearance, cat-faced tomatoes are completely safe to eat, though trimming away the scar tissue will help ensure your dinner guests are not scared away.
After my online educational foray, I then decided to pick the remaining cat-faced fruits, leaving the unblemished tomatoes to ripen. Except for late-season threat of frost, I would be otherwise loathe to pick unripe Solanum lycopersicum. But seeing one on the ground already, I thought the other flawed tomatoes seemed unlikely to survive to full ripeness, given the scarring might leave them vulnerable to additional damage. Thus cat facing gave me the perfect excuse to make this season's first batch of fried green tomatoes.
Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Thai Dipping Sauce
1 t Thai chili garlic paste
1 t horseradish
1/2 c crushed tomatoes
2 t rice vinegar
8 everything flatbread crackers
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, diced or grated
1/2 t ground black pepper
4 large slicing tomatoes, green
1 c buttermilk
4 T vegetable oil
Break crackers and place in food processor a long with Parmesan cheese. Run processor until cheese and crackers are the consistency of cornmeal. Transfer to plate or pie dish. Remove core and blemishes from tomatoes and slice 1/4 inch thick.Pour buttermilk into small bowl. Heat vegetable oil in saute pan. Dip slices in buttermilk, then coat with cracker-cheese breading. Fry until golden brown, turning once (about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Serve at once, with dipping sauce.
Per-serving Nutritional Profile:
Calories, 150
Fat, 9 g
Saturated Fat, 1.5 g
Cholesterol, 5 mg
Carbs, 13 g
Dietary Fiber, 3 g
Protein, 5 g
Sodium, 190 mg
Vitamin A, 20% Daily Value
Vitamin C, 50% Daily Value
Calcium, 15% Daily Value
Iron, 4% Daily Value
