Basil Arugula BLT

Growing up I was not a picky eater, but there were two foods I absolutely despised; fresh tomatoes and mayo. This meant forgoing breakfast on summer mornings when my dad would fry up a bunch of bacon for BLTs. After years of being told I was missing out, I gave the sandwich a try. I had, in fact, been missing out. This sandwich checks all of the boxes; it’s savory, fresh, and lightly sweet. It has crunch and chew. It could not be simpler with five perfectly balanced ingredients. BLTs are their best during summer, when you can pick up a couple of perfect tomatoes at the farm stand, so I decided to update this classic with a little more summer flavor. The basil and arugula add tons of flavor and a bit more green to this typically heavy sandwich. Save any leftover basil aioli and use it for salad dressing.

Serves 4.

·      12 ounces bacon

·      1 cup mayonnaise

·      1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

·      ½ cup fresh basil

·      2 cups arugula

·      2 large local tomatoes

·      8 slices multi grain bread

·      2 tablespoons butter

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Evenly place the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crispy and brown, 14-18 minutes, rotating the sheet once halfway through. Set the bacon aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

2.     While the bacon cooks, combine the mayonnaise, basil, and freshly cracked pepper in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, then set aside in the refrigerator to cool.

3.     Wash and ¼ inch slice the tomatoes.

4.     Butter one side of each piece of bread and toast in a pan or on the grill until golden brown and crispy.

5.     Assemble your BLT by spreading a generous amount of the basil aioli on each slice. Top one slice with a handful of the arugula and the other with bacon. Layer two or three slices of tomato over the arugula. Serve warm or at room temperature.