Paula's Fried Green Tomato and Egg Hollandaise

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 large firm green tomatoes
• Salt
• 2 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 6 slices bacon, cut in half and cooked until crisp
• 6 eggs, poached
• Hollandaise sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Slice the tomatoes 1/4-inch thick. Lay them out in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Place the tomato slices in a colander and allow time for the salt to pull the water out of the tomatoes, approximately 30 minutes. In a skillet, heat the oil for deep-frying over medium high heat. Dip the tomatoes into buttermilk, then dredge them in flour. Deep-fry until golden brown. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, prepare Hollandaise Sauce.

To assemble each serving, place 2 fried tomatoes on a plate. Top with 2 strips of cooked bacon in a criss-cross fashion. Top bacon with a poached egg, spoon on Hollandaise Sauce.

2 egg yolks

4 tablespoons cream

2 large tablespoons butter

1/2 lemon, juiced

Pinch salt

Pinch sugar

Chicken broth, optional

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Stir until thick, approximately 3 minutes; set aside until ready to use. Do not reheat or cover the pot. Thin, if needed with a little chicken broth. Stir in the vinegar.