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Peak-summer heirloom tomatoes piled high on crisp applewood bacon, slathered with fragrant basil aioli, and bookended by golden toasted sourdough. This is the sandwich that makes August worth waiting for.
The BLT is American democracy on bread. It asks nothing of you except that you respect its three principals: bacon rendered properly crisp, tomatoes at their absolute peak, and lettuce that still has the cold crunch of the refrigerator in it. Get those right and you've got a sandwich that rivals anything coming out of a white-tablecloth kitchen.
I've eaten BLTs in every state of the union, from roadside diners to country club verandas, and the difference between forgettable and transcendent always comes down to the tomato. This is not a February sandwich. This is an August sandwich, built around heirlooms so ripe they threaten to fall apart when you slice them. Those juice-heavy, imperfect specimens with cracks in their shoulders and colors ranging from deep burgundy to sunset yellow. They exist for perhaps six weeks each year. Honor them.
The basil aioli is my concession to gilding the lily. Some purists will insist on mayonnaise straight from the jar, and I respect that position. But fresh basil pounded into a homemade aioli transforms this sandwich into something you'd serve at a dinner party without apology. It bridges summer's tomatoes with summer's herbs in a way that feels inevitable once you've tasted it.
Make this sandwich when the farmers market overwhelms you with tomatoes. Make it for a Saturday lunch on the porch with cold beer. Make it for friends gathered around your kitchen island. Just make it while the season lasts.
Quantity
12 slices
Quantity
2 pounds
Quantity
8 slices
cut 1/2-inch thick
Quantity
1 head
Quantity
2
room temperature
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
1 cup packed
Quantity
2 cloves
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
to taste
Quantity
to taste
Quantity
2 tablespoons
softened
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| thick-cut applewood smoked bacon | 12 slices |
| heirloom tomatoes, mixed varieties | 2 pounds |
| sourdough breadcut 1/2-inch thick | 8 slices |
| butter lettuce | 1 head |
| large egg yolksroom temperature | 2 |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 1 cup |
| fresh basil leaves | 1 cup packed |
| garlic | 2 cloves |
| fresh lemon juice | 1 tablespoon |
| Dijon mustard | 1 teaspoon |
| flaky sea salt | to taste |
| freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| unsalted buttersoftened | 2 tablespoons |
Arrange bacon slices in a single layer in a cold cast iron skillet or heavy pan. Place over medium heat. Cold pan, cold bacon. This is the secret to perfectly rendered strips. As the pan heats, the fat begins to melt slowly, basting the meat and crisping it evenly. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping every 3 minutes or so. Listen for the steady sizzle, not aggressive popping. When the bacon is deeply bronzed and holds its shape when lifted, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. It will crisp further as it cools.
Drop the garlic cloves into a running food processor and let them bounce around until minced. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Process until combined, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, begin adding the olive oil in a very thin stream. Patience here. A rushed pour will break your emulsion. Once you've added about half the oil and the mixture looks thick and glossy, you can increase your pour to a thin but steady stream. When all the oil is incorporated, add the basil leaves and process until the aioli turns a vibrant pale green with tiny flecks throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Taste it. Adjust. The aioli should be punchy enough to stand up to bacon.
Core the heirloom tomatoes and slice them crosswise into rounds about 1/4-inch thick. Use your sharpest knife. Dull blades crush tomatoes rather than cut them, releasing precious juice onto the cutting board instead of into your sandwich. Arrange the slices on a platter and season generously with flaky salt and fresh pepper. Let them sit while you toast the bread. The salt draws out moisture and concentrates flavor. Those five minutes make a difference.
Butter both sides of each bread slice lightly. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Toast the bread until golden and crisp on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. You want an even golden color with darker spots at the peaks of the bread's natural texture. The toast should shatter slightly when you press it, then yield to a tender crumb beneath.
Separate the butter lettuce into whole leaves, discarding any bruised outer layers. Wash gently and spin or pat dry. Butter lettuce has a delicate, almost sweet character that complements rather than competes with the tomatoes. Keep the leaves cold until assembly. Warm lettuce in a sandwich is a cardinal sin.
Spread a generous tablespoon of basil aioli on each slice of toasted bread. On the bottom slices, layer two or three butter lettuce leaves. Add the seasoned tomato slices, overlapping them slightly and using a mix of colors if you have them. The tomatoes are the star. Give them real estate. Layer three slices of bacon over the tomatoes. The salt from the bacon, the acid from the tomato juice, the richness of the aioli. They need to meet in every bite. Close with the top slice of bread, aioli side down. Press gently. Cut on the diagonal.
A BLT waits for no one. The moment the toast meets the tomato, the clock starts ticking. Within ten minutes, that beautiful crisp bread will soften from the juice. Serve on a plate with extra napkins ready. This is a two-handed sandwich that rewards immediate attention. Pour yourself something cold and let summer do what summer does best.
1 serving (about 425g)
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