I’m a latecomer to the Southern foods craze, and while I’m still not down with grits or hush puppies, I have discovered a fondness for the fried green tomato. I made these one sultry night last August and discovered how delicious and easy they are to make. If you do it right, you end up with a delicious, liquified tomato inside a crispy crust. Most people chose to garnish with aioli, but I prefer sour cream spiked with lime.

This snack began with the surprising discovery of green tomatoes at one of the stands at the Union Square greenmarket last weekend. This particular stand’s owners have committed themselves to growing organic, hydroponic tomatoes for the people of New York City all winter long, and I for one am jumping for joy!

Begin by slicing the tomato horizontally into slices that are approximately 1 centimeter thick.

Sprinkle both sides of the tomato with coarse kosher salt and allow them to sit between paper towels for a few minutes. The salt will draw out the moisture, which the towels will then absorb. Blot any additional moisture from the tomatoes.

While the tomatoes are sitting, prepare three bowls – one with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, one with 1 egg beaten with a few tablespoons of milk added, and one with 1 cup cornmeal, seasoned with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat and distribute evenly.

Dredge the tomato slices in each bowl, starting with the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally the cornmeal, ensuring that each slice is completely covered.

Once all of the butter is melted, place the tomatoes into the pan, ensuring that they do not touch.

When the tomatoes have a dark crust, flip them.

Once they are uniformly browned on both sides and soft in the center, remove from the heat and transfer the tomatoes to a paper towel-lined plate so the excess grease may drain. Slice two lime wedges and combine their juice with 1/4 cup sour cream. Divide a teaspoon of lime zest, stirring half into the sour cream mixture and holding half as a garnish for the top.

Serve ASAP – the faster, the crispier.

Eat with caution, as the melted tomato inside will be juicy and very hot. And oh so delicious!

Fried Green Tomatoes with Lime Sour Cream

2 medium sized green tomatoes

Coarse kosher salt

Ground black pepper

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 lime

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 tablespoon butter