The BLT- Gourmet Style

It’s a dark and stormy Monday morning here in Florida. I decided this morning that I wanted to share my take on the classic BLT sandwich. I grew up eating these scrumptious sandwiches on lazy Sunday mornings. This unique take on the BLT actually came from my mother (the Southern cooking Queen). It’s still got the classic BLT ingredients, but with a few amazing extras!

Ingredients you'll need for one sandwich:

• 2-3 strips of Bacon 
• 1 tbsp. Mayonnaise 
• 1 handful of greens
• Toasted Bread of your choice 
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp. of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil on hand

First things first, the most important ingredient: the Bacon. You want crispy bacon for your BLT sandwich and the best way is to place your bacon on a raised rack with tin foil underneath to catch the golden liquid (bacon grease). Place bacon in a 400 degree oven and cook for 30-45 minutes (flip bacon to other side at halfway point). With this method, you’ll have perfectly crispy bacon every time. 

Immediately after taking out the bacon, place them on a plate with paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Then carefully take the foil full of bacon grease and place it in a bowel or Tupperware. Bacon grease is an incredible way to add flavor to a dish. My favorite time to use it is when I’m cooking green beans on the stove. The bacon grease gives it a salty homemade rich flavor. Keep your grease in the refrigerator and it’ll last up to 6 months! 

Alright, time for the sauce. That’s right, the sauce! Trust me, you’re going to love it. In a blender or food processor, add the cherry tomatoes, clove of garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and the mayonnaise. Blend everything together and taste the sauce to see if anything needs to be added.

If the consistency is a little too thick, you can add a touch of olive oil to smooth it out a little. 

Time to build your BLT! Mine looks a little different because I used a low carb tortilla (I’m on a carb conscious diet) but you can use any bread you desire (just make sure it’s toasted)! I toasted my tortilla in a pan with some light olive oil to crisp it up.  I didn’t have romaine or mixed greens so I opted for kale (which turned out great)! I also added some mini bell peppers for an extra crunch of freshness. I had some leftover sauce so I placed it on the side for dipping. Let me know how it turns out for you and I’d love to see any modifications you made!