Elevate your BLT with local ingredients
There’s no sandwich that ushers in summer quite like the BLT. While bacon is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, the tomatoes are the stars of the show with this classic when the temperatures rise.
While tomatoes aren’t quite in peak season yet, you can use heirloom tomatoes to whet your appetite for those ruby red wonders. Heirloom tomatoes vary in size and color, ranging from bright yellow to dark green to reddish purple, making a beautiful sandwich.
But why stop with the traditional BLT? Trade out garden variety lettuce for local spinach to bulk up the nutrition. I used the locally sourced long leaf spinach from our biweekly CSA delivery, but you can also pick some up at Village Marketplace in Ingleside Village. This swap adds depth that measures up to the acidity and sweetness of the tomatoes. The avocado adds a creamy element, which provides an excellent contrast to the sweet and salty bacon.
So, what’s the deal with aioli? You’ve probably seen it on a menu as a condiment or dipping sauce. It’s a combination of egg, oil, garlic and sometimes lemon. Foodies know it to be a synonym for mayonnaise, but what distinguishes aioli from mayonnaise is the prominence of garlic.
The easy way to create it is by using Tessemae’s lemon garlic dressing combined with an egg; minimal prep work with an all-natural product. Using the lemon aioli in place of store-bought mayonnaise really ups the ante here, taking this sandwich from good to great. Enjoy!
Alex and Eleta Morrison live in Macon and write a food blog, Bungalow Kitchen. Visit their blog at bungalowkitchen.wordpress.com or contact them at bungalowkitchenmacon@gmail.com.
Farm Stand BLTs with Avocado and Lemon Aioli
6 slices of thick cut bacon, preferably maple or applewood smoked
1 avocado, quartered and cut into thin slices
3 small heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups spinach
4 slices sourdough bread
1 egg
½ cup Tessemae’s lemon garlic salad dressing
Salt and pepper
In a food processor, pulse the raw egg, then pulse while adding the lemon garlic dressing in a steady stream to create the aioli. Turn off the processor and spoon the aioli into a small container with a lid and place into the refrigerator to chill.
Next, cut the bacon slices in half and fry in the pan in batches, cooking according to your preferred crispness. Place the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Reserve the bacon fat to use to grill the sourdough bread for about two minutes on each side over medium heat in a large grill pan.
To assemble, slather the aioli on the bread, then on one side layer the spinach, tomato slices, bacon and avocado, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste. Place the other piece of bread on top, then slice in half. Serve with seasonal fruit.
Serves two.
This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Elevate your BLT with local ingredients."