Sunday, August 21, 2005

104. BLT with BASIL MAYO on TOASTED COUNTRY BREAD

serves four


8 thick slices (8 oz.) smoked bacon
8 1/2-inch-thick slice country French bread (cut on the diagonal from a crusty loaf about 4 inches in diameter)
Basil Mayonnaise (see note)
3-4 medium, ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small bunch of arugula, stemmed
toothpicks

Fry bacon in a large, heavy skillet set over medium heat until crisp and golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Toast bread slices until golden. Brush 1 side of each slice with Basil Mayonnaise.

To assemble sandwiches, arrange a layer of tomatoe slices slightly overlapping on a bread slice. Top with 2 bacon slices, then with several arugula leaves. Cover with another bread slice. Cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal with a serrated knife. Repeat to make 3 more sandwiches. Skewere each half with a toothpick to secure, and arrange the sandwich halves on a serving plate. Serve immediately.

BASIL MAYONNAISE:
1/2 cup regular or reduced fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 1 minute or less, until the basil and garlic are minced and blended into the mayonnaise. (The mayonnaise can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)


courtesy of: The Big Book of Backyard Cooking by Betty Rosbottom. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2004. (85 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94105). p. 120.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yum: the richness of bacon tempered by the pepperiness of arugula. Lovely combo there!

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