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Tinker with perfection? What the heck.
Some would argue the BLT is a perfect triumvirate unsuited to tweaking. Some might say a little enhancement never hurts.
In Jonathan Waxman's recent cookbook, "A Great American Cook," Waxman sautes shrimp in the rendered fat of the cooked bacon, then slaps them on the sandwich.
Pure heaven.
Some other tweaks to try:
* Thick slices of avocado. Sure, you've already got a healthy dose of fat from the bacon and the mayonnaise, but avocados contain healthy fats. And the creamy, rich texture is the perfect foil for the bacon.
* Thinly sliced apple. Like the avocado, this works on contrasts. You've got the salty, crispy bacon. Top that with sweet, crispy apple for an ideal duo. Even better, salt the apple slices first (it heightens the sweetness).
Shrimp BLT
Start to finish: 25 minutes
12 slices thick-cut bacon
2 pounds medium shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), unpeeled
2 tomatoes
Kosher salt
12 slices sourdough bread
1 cup mayonnaise
6 leaves butter lettuce
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon slowly until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet (leaving any fat in the skillet) and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning once, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp, let cool and peel.
Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt.
Lightly toast the bread. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice. Place a lettuce leaf, a tomato slice, and 2 slices of bacon on 6 slices of the toast. Top with the shrimp, dividing them equally, and then with the remaining toasts.
Cut diagonally in half and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
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