Kentucky Bibb Salad with Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 large green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 large heads Bibb lettuce, rinsed and torn
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
• Rose Vinaigrette
• Garnishes: gourmet edible petite rose petals; chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers; chopped purple onion

Preparation

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a bowl until smooth; dip tomato slices evenly in batter.
2. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a large heavy skillet. Fry tomato slices, in batches, in hot oil over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until slices are golden.
3. Arrange lettuce evenly on 6 plates; top each with 2 tomato slices. Sprinkle evenly with walnuts; drizzle with Rose Vinaigrette. Garnish, if desired.
4. * For extra-crispy fried tomatoes, dip in batter twice.