Recipes and Cooking Fried Green Tomatillos and Aioli When green tomatoes are out of season, chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan suggests swapping in tomatillos. "It's not a tomato, but it's tomato-esque," she says. By Belinda Smith-Sullivan Belinda Smith-Sullivan Facebook Instagram Website Belinda Smith-Sullivan is a chef, author, and spice blends entreprenuer. She has written three cookbooks on southern cuisine. Her line of artisan spice blends are carried in supermarkets throughout the southeast. Belinda completed her culinary internship at the SouthPark Marriot Hotel in Charlotte, NC. After graduating from Johnson & Wales she started a personal chef service. It was during that time that she developed and started producing her signature line of artisan spice blends, Chef Belinda Spices. Currently, her full-time business consists of marketing her spice blends and food writing, including cookbooks. Prior to culinary school, Belinda worked in corporate America as a training and development professional. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on December 22, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Carson Downing Hands On Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins Servings: 10 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 cup buttermilk 1 ½ teaspoon blackened seasoning or Cajun seasoning* 2 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, or green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick 1 large egg yolk, at room temp** ½ lemon, juiced 1 garlic clove Pinch of kosher salt ¾ - 1 cup olive oil Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 ¼ cup yellow cornmeal Kosher salt ground black pepper Canola oil, for frying, as needed 2 scallions, sliced Directions In a large bowl mix buttermilk with blackened seasoning. Add tomatillos; let stand 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; add a wire rack. For aioli: In a food processor combine yolk, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch kosher salt; pulse a few times. With processor running, slowly add enough olive oil until sauce is thick. Add cayenne and pulse a few more times; chill. For tomatillos: In a medium shallow bowl combine the cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. One by one, take a tomatillo slice, shake off excess buttermilk, and dredge in cornmeal, making sure each side is thoroughly coated. Place slices on rack. In an extra- large skillet add canola oil to about 1/2 inch deep. Heat over medium. Working in batches, fry tomatillos until golden brown 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Continue until all are cooked, adding oil as needed. Drain on a platter lined with paper towels. Garnish with scallions and serve with aioli. Serves 10 to 12. * *If you don't have one of these blends, stir together a little paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.**Use a pasteurized egg's yolk if you have a compromised immune system. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 437 Calories 40g Fat 19g Carbs 3g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 10 Calories 437 % Daily Value * Total Fat 40g 51% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Cholesterol 19mg 6% Sodium 79mg 3% Total Carbohydrate 19g 7% Total Sugars 5g Protein 3g Vitamin C 12.4mg 62% Calcium 41mg 3% Iron 1.3mg 7% Potassium 339mg 7% Folate, total 16.3mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.