Cooking Class with Chef Ivan Flowers Lesson 32 - The Ultimate B.L.T.

Last week I taught you how to make perfectly fried chicken, with the thought that it would be an ideal dish to bring on those spring picnics. Well, my mind is still on picnics, so I started thinking about sandwiches. All kinds of sandwiches and what is the difference between an okay sandwich and a sandwich that is so delicious, that you dream about it (yes, I dream about sandwiches!). So, before I go into the recipe, I thought I would go over a little sandwich making 101.

Delicious sandwiches start with really great bread. I like a sandwich bread to be crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. If you are using sliced bread instead of a roll for your sandwich, you can get this same nutty/chewy quality by either toasting the bread or grilling the sandwich. Most rolls don’t need to be toasted, with soft rolls like brioche being an exception, but I like rolls toasted for a sandwich, too. That toasting brings out an extra layer of flavor for your sandwich.

After the bread, another key to fabulous sandwiches is the actual construction of it. Remember, I talked about this in the burger class. How you layer your ingredients is very important. It makes all the difference between a delicious sandwich and a soggy sandwich that is falling apart.

What are the key tips to construction a sandwich? I like to put condiments on both sides of the bread. This allows you to get the flavor of the mayonnaise, etc. with every bite. Also, if using meats or cheese, take a single slice of that meat or cheese and place directly on top of both sides of the bread, on top of the condiment. Why? Because this acts as an insulator against the moisture created by lettuce and/or tomato and will allow the sandwich to keep its integrity and not become soggy. Again, with the “soggy factor” in mind, please dry your lettuce thoroughly before placing it on the sandwich.

So, a properly built sandwich will have condiments on both slices of bread, an insulating layer on both slices and then, from there you may fill it with your favorite foods. Finally, seasoning, as in any dish, you want to season every element of the sandwich. Salt and pepper your lettuce and tomatoes. Add caramelized onions to your mayonnaise or jalapenos to your whole grain mustard. All of this will add up to the most delicious sandwich you have ever eaten. Now, let’s make one of the best sandwiches ever invented, a B.L.T.

This recipe will make four sandwiches. You will need: eight slices of toasted sourdough bread, ½ pound regularly sliced bacon, pastry brush, cooling rack, baking sheet, 1/8 cup white wine vinegar, one teaspoon sugar, juice of one lemon, ¼ cup real maple syrup (please not the artificial variety), one tablespoon Sriracha, one teaspoon ketchup, ½ cup mayonnaise, two tablespoons finely diced scallions, two large, ripe slicing tomatoes, one head Bibb lettuce, three avocados, French Sea salt (if you can’t find this, substitute Kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper.

First preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine the maple syrup and the Sriracha and set aside. Next, place the cooling rack on top of the baking sheet and place the bacon in a single layer on the rack. You put it on a rack so the fat drains away from the meat and the bacon will be crisp. Place the bacon in the oven and cook for six minutes. Then take out the bacon and using a pastry brush, glaze every strip with the Sriracha maple syrup mixture. Put back in the oven and cook for two more minutes.

Once cooked, set aside.

Now, in another bowl combine the mayonnaise, scallions and ketchup. I add the ketchup because it adds a little zing and almost becomes like a Russian dressing. Trust me; it works wonderfully on this sandwich. Then you will need to wash the lettuce. After washing, remove single leaves and dry them in paper towel. Layer them so it is lettuce leaf, paper towel, lettuce leaf, paper towel, etc.

Remember, we don’t want a soggy sandwich.

Now, slice your tomatoes ¼ inch thick and lay those slices on a plate. Using a pastry brush, brush each slice of tomato with white vinegar and then sprinkle a little sugar on each slice. This creates a gastrique and makes the tomato sing. Remember, a gastrique is combining an acidic element (the vinegar) with a sweet element (the sugar). Our taste buds simply love this play of sweet and sour.

Next sprinkle the slices with Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Now, thinly slice your avocadoes and top with a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Lastly, toast your bread.

Now to assemble this masterpiece! First, put the mayonnaise mixture on both slices of bread. Secondly, place avocado slices on top of the mayonnaise mixture on both slices. The avocado will be our insulator against sogginess on this sandwich. Third step is to layer the rest of the ingredients on what will be the bottom of the sandwich. On that slice, place two slices of bacon, then one leaf of lettuce, then two slices of tomato and lastly, two more slices of bacon. Top with other slice of bread and serve. There you have it, the ultimate B.L.T.

I like sandwiches because the possibilities are endless. Use your imagination. Have fun and experiment. As with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what creates delicious flavor.

Chef Ivan Flowers brings 25 years of fine cuisine experience to Top of The Market, San Diego. Prior to becoming Executive Chef at Top of The Market, Chef Flowers owned Fournos restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, named a top 25 restaurant in Arizona. He was also Executive Chef at L’Auberge de Sedona, the AAA Four-Diamond, Four Star award winning restaurant. Flowers has created extraordinary cuisine for some of the finest restaurants in Arizona, including T. Cooks at Scottsdale's Royal Palms Resort and the Phoenician's Mary Elaine's and Different Pointe of View.

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