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Bob Hart's classic BLT

Posted by: Bob Hart | 14 October, 2010 - 9:01 AM

Two things have happened in the last week to make me rush home and prepare my favourite sandwich, a classic BLT - bacon, lettuce and tomato.

The first is that, despite making the best sandwiches on earth, Americans have just voted it their all time favourite.

And the second is that I have been served one from the menu in a well respected Melbourne cafe and ... it was a disgrace. Not even close. So, let's go back to basics:

The ingredients, first of all, must be exactly right. The bacon must be streaky, dry cured and thinly sliced so that when you grill it, it will bubble and become crisp, like American bacon.

I buy mine from Leo Donati on the corner of Lygon and Elgin in Carlton, but there are other butchers who dry cure their own bacon rather than lazily buy factory-cured rubbish. So find one for yourself, if you can.

Next, source some decent bread. Dench’s (Fitzroy) grain bread is just about perfect, but any real wholemeal loaf, nothing too heavy or damp, will work.

Allow four thin rashers of bacon per serving, and grill until they are crisp and golden. Remove to a layer of kitchen towels to drain.

Lightly toast two slices of bread per person and spread one side of each slice thinly with mayo. Home-made is good, but Best Foods or Hellman’s, somehow, work even better. And no mustard, please. Not even dijon.

Next, layer one slice of toast per BLT with lettuce. Iceberg is excellent, I prefer cos, but both are acceptable. Next, slice a small, thin-skinned, sun-ripened tomato _ one per sandwich _ and layer it on top of the lettuce. Season both.

Next, position the crisp, warm rashers of bacon and, on top of them, slices of firm avocado. These should also be seasoned.

And finally, place the other slice of toast on top, mayo-side-down. Press down firmly and cut the sandwich in half with a sharp knife. And that’s your benchmark, OK?

3AW Food - Eating Melbourne

3AW is Food: Melburnians love to eat so it's fortunate we live in the culinary capital of Australia. On this dedicated food page you will find the latest recipes by Bob Hart as well as Tony Leonard's Pub of the Week reviews. La Luna head chef Adrian Richardson also serves up a dish from his own cook book and food reviewer Ela Carte visits one of Melbourne's hottest eateries weekly.

Blog comments

In the last month Bob Hart said the Americans are the best Barbequers on earth and now the Americans make the best Sandwiches on earth.
Wish I had been to every Country on the Earth to be able to say that, like Bob has been too.
Pity your not American Bob because they are the best commentators on cooking on the Earth.
Sound like a whole load of earth to me.

Ray Saturday 16 October, 2010 - 12:04 AM