Ever since 2002, when the first episode of Barefoot Contessa aired, Ina Garten has been helping me become a better and more confident cook and entertainer. Together, we’ve laughed. (“It’s always cocktail hour in a crisis!”) We’ve cried. (If you’re reading her memoir, be sure a box of tissues is handy.) And most of all, we’ve cooked and baked together.
I’m no Trent Pheifer, the blogger who has made all of Ina’s 1,300+ recipes. Still, we’ve made a lot of mealtime magic as a “team.” One of the biggest takeaways I’ve learned along the way is that a single ingredient might be all that’s required to take a recipe from “okay” to “unforgettable!” Whether she’s adding a dash of espresso powder to brownies or cooking whole grains in cider, Ina’s elegant one-ingredient upgrades have been game-changers in my kitchen even when I’m not following her recipes to the letter.
With tomato season so close I can almost taste it, of course I had to stop mid-scroll when I spotted Ina’s easy BLT upgrade as it came across the “you might also like” video recommendations on YouTube.
The Secret Ingredient That Takes Ina Garten’s BLT Recipe From Good to Gourmet
Ina’s BLT how-to immediately captured my attention because of the fresh tomato factor—and her initial promise: “There’s almost no cooking.”
That’s because this summery sandwich features an ingredient that harkens back to her “store-bought is fine” motto: cooked lobster meat. Think of this like a surf-and-turf spin on the quintessential summer sandwich.
“I actually had the seafood shop cook [this] for me,” Ina explains as she slices the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces. “You could cook your own, but that’s a whole big thing,” she relatably admits. (You can also often find cooked lobster at the seafood counter of many supermarkets and can even order it online straight from places like Maine or Chesapeake Bay, if you like.)
From there, the recipe comes together in a flash. Simply spread two slices of lightly-toasted white bread with Ina’s “special sauce,” which is essentially DIY thousand island dressing. (To follow her lead, mix “good” mayo, Ina opts for Hellman’s, with ketchup, sweet relish, salt, and black pepper). Top that with a leaf of Bibb lettuce. Stack on a layer of thin avocado slices, followed by a slice of ripe red tomato. Season with more salt and pepper, top with oven-cooked bacon, a scoop of lobster, and dive in.
Get the Recipe for Ina Garten’s Lobster BLT
The Verdict on Ina’s Lobster BLT Recipe
“I really do love that high-low thing, like truffle mac and cheese or caviar on baked potatoes. I think a lobster BLT is definitely in that category,” Ina says as she demonstrates the recipe, which you can also find in her 2020 cookbook Modern Comfort Food.
This is like a chilled lobster roll mashed up with a BLT, and one bite was all I needed to be convinced that Ina did it again.
Unlike regular BLTs, which can sometimes leave me feeling peckish a couple hours later because they’re fairly low in protein, Ina’s Lobster BLTs are a real meal. By adding 2 ounces of lobster meat to the party, a sandwich with around 10 grams of protein now has a meal-sized 25 grams (for those who are counting.) Add a side of chips or fruit, and you have a seriously satisfying feast in about half an hour.
“This is great for a summer lunch,” Ina affirms, and it’s certainly far less expensive than you’d pay for the same dish at a seaside restaurant.
Tips For Making Lobster BLTs
That being said, this will probably remain somewhat of a special occasion sandwich, since a half-pound of shelled cooked lobster meat (enough for four sandwiches) runs about $25. Tack on the tomatoes and bread I’ll buy at the farmers market, plus the bacon from my local butcher and an avocado from the grocery store, and the tally begins to climb. But come peak tomato season from this year forward, Ina’s Lobster BLTs will be a monthly treat, either as-is or with one of these fun remixes I spotted online.
Help yourself. For parties, try setting out a Lobster BLT Board like cookbook author Jenny Shea Rawn, RD. I’ll include grilled chicken and gluten-free bread as options as well. That way, everyone can build their own sandwich based on their personal protein preferences. For a more economical alternative to lobster, replace it with poached, sautéed, or grilled shrimp.
Flex the foundation. Instead of toast, consider stuffing these same ingredients stuffed inside a split-top roll, a salty pretzel bun, or a pillowy potato bun. If you’d like to infuse more flavor (and waste less bacon grease) follow the lead of our friends at Food & Wine, and toast the cut-sides of the bread in the bacon drippings.
Take this around the globe. In place of the avocado slices and special sauce, swap in guacamole for a Tex-Mex twist. Or as an Italian-inspired substitute for the thousand island, spread the bread with pesto. To really drive home the Connecticut lobster roll vibes, skip the sauce and avocado and toss the chopped lobster with melted butter.
Related: I Cooked Ina Garten’s 5 Favorite Summer Recipes—Here’s What I’d Make Again
Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens
Dining and Cooking