Fried Multi-Colored Tomato BLT’s With Basil-Chive Mayo

DISH: Fried Multicolored Tomato BLTs with Basil-Chive Mayo


MAIN INGREDIENTS: 1st Sir Francis Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato

Growing up, on days when a turkey club correct felt luxuriate in too worthy work for my jaw, I tended to downgrade from the triple-decker to a definite passe bacon sandwich with one lettuce leaf and a astronomical slather of mayo. At age 11, after I made the non-public ruling that tomatoes had been indeed a vegetable in desire to a fruit, I transitioned from turkey entirely and started a lifelong treasure affair with the BLT.

I’ve stumbled on through the years that my favorites in the BLT division owe their excellence to the quality of formula: completely crispy bacon, crunchy lettuce, and a thick gash of ripe, juicy tomato. I assumed nothing might doubtless well perchance beat that description, till I stumbled on the Fried Inexperienced Tomato BLT at Prick of Existence, a cozy minute restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard. The fried tomatoes had been a revelation: tart and agency, adding a entire fresh dimension of crisp, salty goodness sandwiched internal two pieces of condo-made rosemary bread.

When I procure heaven in a sandwich, I usually finish the search and delve into my singular dependancy. No longer regularly finish I in actual fact have the hubris to are attempting to recreate perfection in my hold kitchen, in particular when it entails deep frying. But reduction in New York City, a craving hit, and I stumbled on myself filling a Dutch oven with vegetable oil, crisping bacon on the adjoining burner, and wrecking havoc on my countertop with wayward cornmeal, four, and egg as I lined farmers’ market heirloom tomatoes in preparation for the fryer.

I knew the doubtless letdown for my imposter BLT regularly is the bread; the rosemary had given Prick of Existence’s version an added a part of flavor. So that you can bulk up my rustic Italian loaf, I rubbed a minute bit raw garlic on the toasted slices and added chives to the basil mayonnaise to present it one other diploma of herbiness. For jaded me, the result gave the usual an even fling for its money. But for my mates, my Fried Multicolored Tomato BLT reached revelatory standing. They shall be tickled with the imposter. I’ll correct desire to place touring to that island to the East for the staunch thing.

From my kitchen, the save sandwich perfection is (every so usually) reached, to yours,

Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK

**Recipe**

Fried Multi-Colored Tomato BLT’s with Basil-Chive Mayo


Makes 4 servings

Whereas most BLTs have a enormous leaf of crisp romaine lettuce, the Prick of Existence version uses a handful of peppery arugula which helps offset the expansive slices of fried tomatoes and intensify (in desire to water down) the kind of every unique ingredient.

System

1 loaf rustic Italian or nation bread, sliced 3/4 inch thick

Vegetable oil

2-3 enormous heirloom tomatoes, ideally agency green or yellow

handful toddler arugula leaves

6oz bacon (8 strips)

1 cup flour

2 eggs, overwhelmed

½ cup cornmeal

salt

cayenne pepper

1 garlic clove, peeled

For the mayo:

2 tbsp chopped basil

1 tbsp chopped chives

1 tbsp lemon juice

½ cup mayonnaise (ideally canola-basically based)Preheat the broiler.

Put a non-stick skillet over medium-excessive warmth. Put collectively the bacon in a single layer and fry in batches till dark brown and crispy. Repeat with the remaining bacon. Put apart to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Occupy a Dutch oven or skillet with 2 inches of vegetable oil and procedure over excessive warmth. Whereas the oil is getting sizzling, derive three shallow bowls with the flour, egg, and cornmeal, one ingredient in every. One at a time, dredge the tomatoes in flour, douse in egg, and then hide in cornmeal, shaking off any excess. Repeat with every gash.

Test the oil with one tomato—the oil need to peaceful bubble vigorously upon contact and the gash need to peaceful commence up browning in no longer as much as a minute. Cook every tomato till golden brown and crispy, about one to two minutes per facet, and take away with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Whereas the tomatoes are frying and draining, mix the entire formula for the mayonnaise in a miniature bowl.

On a rimmed baking sheet, brush every gash of bread on all facets with olive oil. Teach in the oven for a short time, till the bread is golden brown but no longer exhausting. Rub every gash with the garlic clove, and slather every halves with a skinny layer of basil mayo. High the first half with a miniature handful of arugula, two slices of bacon, and two or three slices of tomato. High with the other gash of bread and push all of the design down to seal the sandwich.

Relief straight, ideally with a facet of coleslaw.

the dad, taking half in BLT perfection at Prick of Existence