Ever since my first visits as a young line cook to the East village in NYC to Kurowycky & Son butcher shop and smoke house, where I obtained the freshly smoked pork belly still on its riblets like the kosher lamb one pictured here, for our daily prep at Savoy. I learned that I cannot do without this ingredient in my home and professional kitchens so when I became more observant and followed the rules of kashrut I needed to discover my own method of making Kosher bacon. Lamb was a perfect candidate because it is also a farmyard buddy of pork. Lamb enhances the bacon process by bringing it's own tasty nuances to the finished product that some of my non-jewish cooks even ended up preferring to the traditional bacon they grew up on.
I will be posting many uses for this cured and smoked culinary icon that I produce out of exquisite lamb belly raised here in Israel. Here is one of my favorite and simple ways to pay tribute to this divinely smoked meat. Crispy bacon strips right outta a hot oven are simply prepared to form the classic BLT, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. In our case a LBLT because we are using superb kosher halak Israeli lamb belly/ breast for our bacon. This sandwich is a culinary delight devised in heaven. It's flavors and textures are so incredibly balanced with each other, It is what chefs struggle and aspire to achieve on every dish they create, yet simply and magically achieved in this iconic American sandwich.
The Classic BLT Sandwich
3 sandwiches
500 g lamb bacon
8 slices sourdough bread
drizzle of olive oil
2 tomatoes vine ripened
red wine vinegar
salt & pepper
leaves of romaine, iceberg, arugula or watercress
red onion slices (optional)
4 tablespoons of homemade aioli
Aarons Atomic Hot Sauce - -if you desire spicy
Preheat your oven to 180° C. Slice lamb bacon 2-3 mm thick, Cut it perpendicular to the long slab if you bought it unsliced. Lay slices onto an oven rack over a pan to catch the drippings. Place rack into oven and cook for 15 minutes until rendered and crispy.
2. Drizzle your sliced sourdough bread with olive oil and toast in a hot pan or griddle. I prefer to toast only one side the outside of the bread and keep the inside fresh.
3. Slice your tomatoes and season them with red wine vinegar and S&P to taste.
4. Shmear both untoasted sides of your bread with the beautiful fresh aioli you just made. Layer one side with lettuce, the dressed tomatoes and onions if you wish, the crispy bacon and the 2nd piece of bread to top it off. If you like it spicy Aarons Atomic Hot sauce is the perfect addition.
5. Get ready to go to your happy place and take a bite!
Garlic Mayonnaise -Aïoli
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups grape-seed oil
3 tablespoons water
➤ You may use a hand blender, traditional blender or a small food processor with the blade attachment. Place the egg yolks, dijon mustard, garlic and salt and vinegar into blender bowl.
➤Begin to blend when garlic and other ingredients become a smooth mixture begin to stream the oil a little bit at a time as you continue to have blender on. Do not go too fast or you will run the risk of breaking or separating the emulsification.
➤Your mixture will become very thick as it incorporates the oil. Intermittently add some of the water to thin out mixture until all 3 tablespoons of water are incorporated
➤Taste and adjust with sea salt. If your mixture is too thin you may blend 1 tablespoon at a time more oil. If your mixture is too thick you may thin to desired consistency by adding 1 teaspoon of water at a time.
➤ Place into plastic container or glass jar and keep refrigerated.
コメント