Served with Smoked Mozzarella & Pumpkin Bisque
INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 medium green tomatoes, cut into ⅓-inch slices
8oz BelGioioso Smoked Fresh Mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 cup Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bisque
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup whole wheat flour, divided
½ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ tsp sea salt, divided
1 tsp black pepper, divided
½ tsp garlic powder, divided
½ cup unsweetened almond or oat milk
½ tbsp lemon juice or distilled white vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt for sprinkling
Cooking spray
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make vegan buttermilk: In a bowl, mix the milk and vinegar or lemon juice until well combined. Let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes to let it thicken and curdle. Set aside.
Line a plate with a paper towel. Slice the tomatoes ⅓-inch thick and arrange in a single layer on the plate. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the slices with salt and let stand for 5 minutes.
In a bowl combine the ¼ cup flour, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and ¼ tsp garlic powder. In a separate bowl, combine the remainin flour, cornmeal, bread crumbs, and remaining salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Lastly, in another bowl, lightly beat the egg and add the buttermilk, stirring to combine.
Dredge the tomato slices first in the seasoned flour mixture, then the egg mixture (allow excess egg mixture to drip off), and finally in the cornmeal mixture. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the tomatoes, spraying lightly with cooking spray again. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven, add a slice of mozzarella to each tomato slice, and bake for another 5 minutes, until the cheese melts and the tomatoes are golden brown.
While the tomatoes are baking, heat the tomato bisque in a small saucepan until warm, but not boiling. Remove from heat and cover with a lid to keep warm.
When the tomatoes are finished baking, transfer to a serving dish. Transfer the pumpkin bisque to a serving bowl and spoon a tablespoon of bisque onto tomato slices. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
