Earl Cooks Green Tomato & Onion Gratin

Fall has given us a bounty of green tomatoes. So many, in fact, that they are turning red (ripening) before we can use them in something special, so I started looking for recipes using Green tomatoes that are NOT fried green tomatoes. There are A LOT! When my Wife, `Turkey,' said she was thinking about a BLT, I said How about a Gratin! (probably not a normal reaction, but I had been looking at all of the recipes and one caught my eye). Green Tomatoes, Onions, Bacon & Cheese—How could I I go wrong! (I did just a bit and I will tell you where).
Ingredients

• 3 or 4 Green Tomatoes (smallish)
• 2 Yellow Onions
• 3 slices of thick sliced bacon, crisp
• 1 cup Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup FRESH Breadcrumbs
• Fresh Cracked Pepper and Salt
• 2 TBLS Rendered Bacon Grease

Instructions

• Slice tomatoes pole-to-pole in ½ inch slices
• Place bacon on stove top to cook & preheat oven to 350°
• While bacon cooks, slice onions in ½ slices RETAIN SLICES TOGETHER-DON'T SEPARATE RINGS
• Take FRESH bread slices (about 3), and cut into rough cubes, then place them in a food processor to turn into bread crumbs (I always use the crusts, best part!)
• From the pan the bacon cooked in, remove 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease and add to the breadcrumbs. Mix together well, using a food processor.
• Remove bacon from pan to paper towels to drain. Place in refrigerator or freezer to cool (this makes it easier to crumble later)
• Place onion slices in WHOLE slices together into remaining bacon grease and sauté until lightly browned on both sides.
• Shingle green tomato and onion in a baking or casserole dish (Layer, side by side overlapping one another) until all onion and tomato are in.
• Top with crumbled bacon, then cheese, then breadcrumbs
• Bake for 30 minutes uncovered then cover and bake for 20 more.

Results

I found that I needed to cook them this longer or hotter. and when placed back in the oven, it came out better. It is not quite as good as Fried Green Onions, but we liked it and passed some on to our eldest daughter who ate liked it too.

I also mistakenly added the breadcrumbs before the cheese and worked to remove them, but some remained. It left the cheese a bit dry and not as gooey as I would have liked.