Summer’s Favorite BLT (candied bacon BLT with peach and basil mayo)
A beautifully sweet and savory spin on the classic BLT, this version harnesses the sun-drenched goodness of some of summer’s greatest garden-grown produce. Heirloom tomatoes, fresh peaches and basil combine in the most delicious way in these easy breezy sandwiches.Â
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 slices of center cut bacon
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, plus more as needed
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup (or to taste) finely chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons basil paste
- 8 slices of (good quality) sandwich bread, such as Farmhouse White or thick-cut sourdough
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 fresh, ripe peach, sliced thin
- 8 whole butter lettuce or romaine leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Cover a large sheet pan(s) with parchment paper.
- Coat each slice of bacon on both sides with some brown sugar, using more or less than I’ve indicated as you need to (it will just vary, depending on your bacon). Arrange the bacon slices side by side on the parchment paper, adjusting to fit as needed. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes – or as many as 20, depending on the bacon thickness. Just keep an eye on it and take the pan out when the bacon is golden brown and fully cooked (not burned).
- Combine the mayo and basil in a small bowl, adjust the amounts until it’s just right to you. Slather one side of each bread slice, from end to end, with the mayo.
- Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and arrange a couple/few slices on top of the mayo on four slices of the bread. Top with some peach slices and a couple of lettuce leaves. Place 3 slices of the candied bacon on top of the lettuce, breaking them up if needed to fit. Top with the remaining bread slices and enjoy, sliced or not.