Heirloom Tomato BLT

A recent trip to the Farmer's Market led to purchases to create the ultimate farmer's market/local BLT sandwich. We started with some fresh homemade Amish bread, a lovely head of organic romaine lettuce from Delvin Farms, and an assortment of locally grown heirloom tomatoes. We also managed to come across some fantastic applewood smoked bacon from Niman Ranch (where their pigs run free, never fed hormones or antibiotics, no nitrates are added, and humanely raised on sustainable farms).

So I know there is no wrong way to create a lovely BLT - and really, the recipe is in the name... Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato. So I suppose my "recipe" will just more or less be a list of ingredients.

Farmer's BLT -

4 Thick slices of fresh bread, toasted
Romaine lettuce
6 strips of applewood smoked bacon, browned in a skillet, turning frequently
Heirloom Tomatoes, preferrably 2 or 3 different types, 2 slices out of each one.
Mayo, preferrably Dukes


The layering, to me, is important to be done in a certain order. Of course, this is only because I'm obsessive compulsive and prefer to have the tomatoes in the center. You spread mayo, generously, on BOTH pieces of toast. Start with layering the lettuce, as much or little as you would like. Season your slices of tomatoes with some sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Layer 3 slices of tomatoes on top of the lettuce. Next take your bacon and layer it on top of the tomatoes. I like to have these lay diagonally on the toast. Then top with final piece of toast. Slice sandwich in half diagonally (opposite direction of the bacon) and voila! The perfect BLT. These will probably become a typical weekend meal throughout the summer while heirloom tomatoes are in season.



So go out - enjoy your local farmer's market - and create the ultimate BLT with some fantastic ingredients that didn't travel across the country to reach your kitchen.

Posted by Lauren