This week, we did a little bit of deconstructing for our Dorie recipe. We took the always delicious BLT, separated the ingredients, added eggs and made something that was...drum roll please...not quite as good as a regular BLT. Don't get me wrong, this salad was very good and the boys and I ate every bite (we each had a huge portion). But, as I ate each bite, I kept thinking that it just wasn't as great as taking a bite of a BLT. Something about the perfect ratio of bacon, lettuce, tomato, bread & mayo that you get in each bite of a BLT was just missing from the deconstructed version. Try as I might to get a little piece of each ingredient in a bite, I just couldn't quite do it. Partly because my bread cubes were probably too big (tasty, given that they were sauteed in bacon fat, but too big!) and partly because there were quite a few individual ingredients, making the navigation of getting them all on the fork difficult.
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| Love, love bacon! |
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| My favorite part! |
Two things went amiss for me in the recipe. I forgot to bake my homemade bread (it was all ready, resting in the fridge, and I completely forgot to get it out and bake it before I started the salad. Ditto for the homemade mayo...completely forgot to do it until I got to the end of the recipe...at which point we were all starving and I was not going to take another 20 minutes to make mayo.
While the salad was good, it seemed like a lot of work to make all the pieces. I can make a BLT in as long as it takes to cook the bacon (maybe 20 mins)...this salad took almost an hour. Maybe I'd make it to impress company, but if it's just the boys and I, I'll go with a regular BLT next time. To see the wonderful concoctions that my fellow Doristas made this week, take a peek
here.
Next Friday, I am flying to Florida and boarding a cruise ship to the Caribbean (Jamaica anybody?). I'm hopeful I can get next week and the following week's posts done and in the que before I leave, but if not...I'll post when I return. Everybody have a great couple of weeks!
21 comments:
You and I seem to agree completely on this one. Very tasty salad, but I prefer my BLTs in sandwich form.
Have fun on your cruise!
Ah see I am not a fan of the BLT in a sandwich so I loved this! You should try it with soft boiled eggs :)
Me too! Love the sandwich, like the salad. But more importantly... Jamaica??? I'm jealous! Can I come with you?? lol, have a great time!
I think I would have thought this was a hassle too if I just making it for us (and my boys never would have eaten it!). Have a great vacation!
This was slightly more involved than throwing some ingredients in a bowl & tossing...
But, I think croutons toasted in bacon fat are a new friend :-)
Enjoy that trip.
I agree completely. A salad just can't compete with a real blt.
ENjoy your cruise! I'm JEALOUS!!
I shall try this out...definitely , after seeing what you all presented. Dorie never fails to give a good recipe :) I could not get this done as I was away from home the last few days :( but will make this soon :) Yours looks good...those bacon mmmm makes me salivate :)
We felt exactly the same way about the salad! The Caribbean? I'm jealous!
Your salad sure looks great! Too bad you didn't love it. Hope you have a beautiful, relaxing trip.
It does take quite a bit of preparation, but I thought it was worth it in the end. I can see why it didn't give you the same satisfaction as a BLT sandwich, though - this is more a dish inspired by the BLT, rather than a BLT in a salad bowl. Enjoy your vacation!
I love a good BLT, but I did enjoy the salad too. I wasn't as ambitious, using a rustic loaf from the market and store-bought mayo. Are you still using your Charcutepalooza bacon? Or is that long gone?
We enjoyed Dunn's River Falls and Green Grotto Caves when our cruise ship stopped in Ochos Rio. And the curried beef patties -- yum! Have a fantastic vacation, Steph!
Since we don't eat sandwiches, I really enjoyed this, but I can see how its not quite up to the real BLT anticipation. I used Hellman's mayo, instead of making my own this time around. it came together pretty quickly for us, but I made it for a Sunday lunch, so perhaps it just seemedd to go fast...LOL. Your salad does look great!
Your salad looks so pretty! Yeah, a lot of work for a weeknight dinner, but still quite tasty :)
Have a fabulous vacation~
I actually was surprised how much like a BLT it tasted. Maybe it was a placebo effect. :)
I loved the salad... but then again, I don't like mayo. Love the post and your photos.
Try the uncured pepper bacon at Boney's - it's great in this salad, and in carbonara! Bon Voyage...I'm so jealous!
As a mayo freak I have to say it is the overlooked component of a BLT and was missing here. Still, I can't not like something with bacon in it. I tried. But I can't.
Well you salad looks delicious...even if you would rather have the sandwich!! I enjoyed all the flavors of this salad...would definitely make again!
I liked this salad, but the sandwich is a classic and there is a reason it is a favorite...it is plainly really good. I like the crunch of the toasted bread in a good BLT sandwich, and that was missing...the bread cubes don't cut it. Good, but not classic. Always enjoy your blog.
What I liked the most about this salad was playing around with the different components trying to find that perfect bite. I think I must have identified at least three. I hope you are having a wonderful break!
Hey Steph,
earlier this year you commented on my Mangalitsa Chop post on www.Foodiesarefun.com and said that you don't have a local pig farm near you. Well, I now am the Director of Development for that Mangalitsa farm and I can help you get some Mangalitsa if you are interested! Let me know.
Heidi
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