B-ham Recipe

Make the aioli

Mince the garlic finely or grate it on a microplane. In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, smoked paprika and honey until smooth. Season with the salt and pepper, taste and adjust heat or acidity as desired. Cover and chill while you prepare the rest of the sandwich (at least 10 minutes so flavors meld).

Cook the bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the rack. Bake 12–18 minutes, turning once if needed, until bacon is crisp but not burnt (timing depends on thickness). Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

Prepare tomato and greens

While the bacon cooks, slice the tomato into 1/4-inch thick slices. Season tomato slices lightly with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper. Rinse and spin-dry the arugula; if desired toss the arugula with a tiny pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt to brighten the leaves.

Toast the bread

Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of butter on one side of each bread slice. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the bread butter-side-down in the skillet until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes; flip and toast the other side very briefly (1 minute) if you like both sides crisp. Alternatively, grill or use a toaster, then butter the toasted sides.

Assemble the B-Ham

Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the chilled zip aioli on the cut side of each toasted bread slice (use more or less to taste). On the bottom slice, layer half of the bleu cheese crumbles (about 1.5 oz), then arrange 3–4 slices of tomato, followed by two slices of crisp bacon. Add a generous handful (about 1 cup) of arugula on top of the bacon. Sprinkle the remaining bleu cheese crumbles over the arugula. Top with the remaining bacon slices if desired, then place the top slice of bread aioli-side-down. Press gently to compress the sandwich slightly.

Finish and serve

Cut the sandwich in half diagonally. Serve immediately while bacon is warm and bread is crisp. Offer extra zip aioli and additional hot sauce on the side. Estimated serving suggestion: one assembled sandwich per person (this recipe makes 2 sandwiches).