Give Classic Eggs Benedict A Flavorful Southern Makeover With One Ingredient

There's no denying eggs Benedict has been a brunch and breakfast staple since its invention in the late 19th century. The classic version starts with a golden, toasted half English muffin as its base, a slice of crisp Canadian bacon, a delicate poached egg, and a generous amount of hollandaise sauce spooned over top; but chefs are always creating new variations of the dish. If you're looking for a distinctly regional take on eggs Benedict, you can try adding fried green tomatoes.

Many Southern restaurants have started using fried green tomatoes either as an added layer in eggs Benedict or in place of the English muffin, which places it among the many other unique ways to eat fried green tomatoes. It's an easy and flavorful swap for home cooks, too. Fried green tomatoes give eggs Benedict a bright, fresh element along with the crispiness of the breaded exterior, a slightly tart taste, and a creamy interior.

To make fried green tomatoes at home, you'll want to slice unripe tomatoes, coat them in a mixture of buttermilk and eggs, dredge them in a seasoned cornmeal and flour mixture, and fry the slices in oil (or give them a flavor boost with bacon fat) until they're crisp and golden. Fried green tomatoes are often served with remoulade, a creamy cousin to hollandaise, which only further solidifies fried green tomato slices as a great match for classic eggs Benedict's other components.

You can make fried green tomato eggs Benedict even more Southern by swapping out the English muffin for an airy biscuit or adding condiments like pimiento cheese, bacon jam, chow chow relish, or tomato jam. Typical Southern meats like Conecuh sausage, andouille sausage, or crab cakes in place of the Canadian bacon would also boost the flavor in interesting ways. Some chefs are skipping the traditional hollandaise sauce and replacing it with a Cajun hollandaise sauce, while others are serving the Southern-style breakfast with cheesy grits instead of hash browns. However you serve your fried green tomato eggs Benedict, it's sure to add a Southern twist to a brunch classic.