Bacon, lettuce and tomato – three simple ingredients combining to make the perfect sandwich. Very likely a close relative of the equally excellent club sandwich, like many others, the B.L.T first earned its place in the pantheon of classic sandwiches via the American diner in the early 19th-century. The B.L.T is, for all intents and purposes, a salad sandwich with the tomato and lettuce being at the forefront and the bacon acting more as a seasoning to balance things out, so be sure to seek out the best base ingredients.
- 200g smoked streaky bacon, diced
- 250g lard
- 3 large egg yolks
- 4 fat garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 25ml cider vinegar
- A couple of sprigs of rosemary
- A bunch of dill, parsley and tarragon, finely chopped
- 350ml rapeseed oil
- Zest of half a lemon (and a little juice)
- 200g soft cream cheese
- 4 perfectly ripe tomatoes, preferably gently warmed in the sun
- A large bunch of mixed lettuce leaves, carefully cleaned
- Good olive oil
- A splash of red wine vinegar
- Your bread of choice
- Add your lard to a deep saucepan and place it on a low heat to melt it.
- Add your diced bacon and rosemary once the lard has melted – it should be fully submerged (you may need to do it in batches). Let this cook gently away until the bacon starts to look golden, crispy and delicious. Carefully lift it out with a slotted spoon and pop it on some kitchen paper to let it dry out and crisp up further.
- Once all the bacon is confit remove any other solids from the lard and add in your garlic, still on a low heat. Let this cook until meltingly soft but do not let it take any colour.
- Remove the confit garlic with a slotted spoon and take the lard off the heat to cool (but not so cool that it resolidifies).
- In a good food processor pop in your egg yolks, cooled confit garlic, mustard, vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pulse this together until it forms a paste.
- With the motor running – slowly, slowly pour in the cooled lard until the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken. Add about 125ml of lard and then switch to the rapeseed oil. You want to keep adding it until the aioli is nice and thickened and a spoon run through leaves a deep trench.
- When it’s as thick as you desire add the lemon zest and a little squeeze of lemon juice to balance it out.
- Chop over the crispy bacon so it is nice and fine, then mix this through. Chop over all your herbs and mix these through as well.
- Check your aioli for seasoning – it may need salt and would benefit from black pepper and may need a little more acidity as it should be very rich – you can add more lemon to balance.
- When the aioli is finished, cut it through with the softened cream cheese, about 60:40 aioli to cream cheese. You want to end up with a thick, soft, spreadable, incredibly rich, herby and decadent sandwich spread.
- Slice your tomatoes and season them really well with salt and a little good olive oil and set aside for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl add a splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar 50:50 and toss in your salad leaves. Mix it with your hands so they are well coated, do this just before making your sandwich.
- To build your sandwich, slice your bread of choice (we used a deli roll – B.L.T works well with many types but sliced white is traditional) and thickly spread on your confit bacon, garlic and herb sandwich spread, top and bottom. If the tomatoes give off a lot of liquid, gently pat them dry and then layer them up, you want two or three layered. Finally, add a large handful of the leaves on top, be generous with them.
- Put the lid on and wrap the whole thing in greaseproof paper to help hold it together and to make it less messy to eat. Slice in half and marvel at the cross section. It will squidge out the sides when you eat it so keep several napkins and a fork close to hand. Eat immediately!
The Cross Section covers all things sandwiches and is brought to you by Belly of the Beast. Each issue we’ll look at a different ‘classic’ sandwich and talk through its history and how to make a great one at home. Chris Coulter is the man behind Belly Of The Beast – creator of innovative, award-winning condiments which he puts to use in fresh sandwiches available direct from his kitchen in Byker and at Sorcerer Coffee in Newcastle.Follow Chris @bellyofthebeastco
