B.l.t. Recipe
Toasted Sourdough Bread with a half-pound* of Thick-Sliced Bacon, Butter Lettuce, Tomato, and Ranch Aioli
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Ingredients
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Sandwich
Ranch Aioli
Method
Ranch Aioli
- 1
Make the aioli
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Whisk until smooth.
- 2
Add the finely chopped chives (1 tbsp), parsley (1 tbsp) and dill (1 tsp), then stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Mix to combine.
- 3
Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust — if you prefer a thinner aioli, add another teaspoon of buttermilk; for brighter acidity, add a few more drops of lemon juice.
- 4
Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the other components to allow flavors to meld (at least 10 minutes).
Sandwich
- 5
Prepare tomatoes and lettuce
Wash the butter lettuce and pat dry. Core the tomatoes and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle the tomato slices lightly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; set on a paper towel to rest for 5 minutes, then blot any excess moisture so the sandwich doesn't get soggy.
- 6
Cook the bacon
Preheat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Lay the 1/2 lb of thick-sliced bacon in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook 6–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisped to your preference. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the pan if desired for extra flavor when toasting the bread; otherwise discard fat.
- 7
Toast the sourdough
Spread 2 tablespoons unsalted butter evenly on one side of each of the 8 slices of sourdough. Heat a clean skillet over medium heat. Toast the bread butter-side down in batches until golden brown and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side (if you reserved bacon fat, you may toast one side in bacon fat for extra flavor and the other side in butter). Transfer toasted slices to a cooling rack or plate.
- 8
Assemble sandwiches
Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of Ranch Aioli on the cut side of four toasted slices (reserve the other four slices for tops). On each aioli-spread slice, layer 2 leaves of butter lettuce (torn if large), then 3–4 slices of the rested tomato (drain any accumulated juices before placing), and top with 4 slices of cooked bacon (approximately 2 ounces per sandwich). Add an extra drizzle of aioli on the bacon if desired.
- 9
Top each sandwich with the remaining toasted slice of sourdough. Press gently, cut each sandwich in half if desired, and serve immediately while the bread is warm and bacon is crisp.
- 10
Yield: makes 4 sandwiches. Serve with chips, fries, or a simple pickle.