How to Make a Fancy-Ass BLT

A few weeks ago I made a fancy-ass tuna melt and I loved every second of it. I’m tempted to make this a whole series. The idea would be I take something seemingly normal, typical, usually run-of-the-mill…and then I make it fancy.

I’ve always loved fancy things. I’m just now coming to terms with it and admitting it to myself/everyone. My parents would agree. I was always the kid wanting to order the most expensive thing on the menu. “Wait, why can’t I order the lobster for two?! I don’t like anything off the kids menu! Who wants pasta and cheese and butter?! I love lobster and steak and calamari.”

This BLT is fancy with a capital-F. There are steps in making the easiest sandwich known to man, well, fancy. I have the steps. I have step-by-step pictures, too (sort of). I gotz everything on this bright, sunny Monday!

To make a fancy-ass BLT, this is what you’ll need:

1. Good thick-cut bacon.

2. A sourdough boule. (Or other bread that is worthy.)

3. An heirloom tomato.

4. Sprouts. (I’m currently having a moment with sprouts. I love them in sandwiches. Such texture!)

5. An egg. A runny, bright-yolked egg.

STEP 1:

Bake your bacon. No pan/splattering oil, etc. No nonsense. Drain it.

STEP 2:

Use interesting greens. In this case I used sunflower sprouts, which actually taste like sunflower seeds. They’re amazing and their texture is crisp and awesome. You obviously don’t have to use sunflower sprouts. I love butter lettuce, arugula, little gem or any other kind of sprout will work well, too.

STEP 3:

Slice your tomatoes. I find slicing tomatoes easiest using a serrated knife. I own this one and I like it just fine.

Tomatoes can make a sandwich a bit too soggy for my taste. To expel them of a little of their water, I like to sprinkle them with salt, lay them on a bed of paper towels and allow them to drain for 10 minutes or so. I learned this technique in Virginia one summer while making tomato sandwiches. It’s tried and true.

STEP 3:

Slice your bread and then toast it in butter. I love the buttery outside of a grilled cheese. So, nowadays I put a little butter in a pan and toast my bread on both sides until the edges are crisp and the center is just a teeny bit toasted. I still want it slightly soft.

STEP 4:

Fry an egg. I use olive oil because I love the flavor and olive oil gets hot enough where the edges of the egg whites are crispy. I love a crispy fried egg. Is there anything prettier than a fried egg.

Step 5:

Assemble. I like mayonnaise (if you hate mayonnaise, I understand you). Greens first, then tomatoes, crispy bacon and then the egg.

Look at that yolk…

It’s a glorious sandwich. Simple things done well are my favorite.