🥓 The California Summer BLT
The California Summer BLT is loaded with crispy bacon, heirloom tomatoes, creamy avocado, fresh basil, butter lettuce, and roasted garlic aioli on toasted sourdough bread. A fresh California-inspired sandwich from the Nomad Kitchen Handheld Sandwich Series that's perfect for summer lunches, picnics, and easy dinners. Visit https://www.tretaylor.com/ for more delicious recipes and food adventures.
🍅 Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil, Avocado & Roasted Garlic Aioli 🥑
Malcolm Approved • Nomad Kitchen Handheld Sandwich Series
🥑 🥓🥪🍅 🧄🌿
There are sandwiches, and then there are sandwiches that make you stop in the middle of a bite and appreciate being alive.
This week in Berkeley, California, while house-sitting with my faithful kitchen supervisor Malcolm, I stumbled into one of those magical summer moments. Berkeley Bowl had the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes imaginable—deep red, bright red, golden yellow, perfectly ripe, sweet, juicy, and bursting with sunshine.
Add thick-cut center-cut uncured bacon, creamy avocado, fresh basil, delicate butter lettuce, lightly toasted sourdough, and a roasted garlic aioli, and suddenly a humble BLT becomes something extraordinary.
The basil is the secret ingredient. It brings a bright California garden freshness that ties everything together. The avocado adds creamy richness, the heirloom tomatoes provide sweet summer perfection, and the bacon delivers that smoky crunch we all crave.
Malcolm supervised the entire operation and approved the bacon quality control process.
This sandwich is proof that simple ingredients, when they're at their seasonal peak, can create something unforgettable.
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the Roasted Garlic Aioli
1 whole head garlic
½ cup Best Foods/Hellmann's mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
For the Sandwich
4 slices quality sourdough bread
8 slices center-cut bacon
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Butter lettuce leaves
Fresh basil leaves
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Roast the Garlic
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Slice the top off the garlic head. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 35–40 minutes until soft and caramelized.
Allow to cool.
Step 2: Make the Aioli
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl.
Mash thoroughly and combine with mayonnaise, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
Set aside.
Step 3: Cook the Bacon
Cook bacon until crisp and golden.
Transfer to paper towels and allow to cool slightly.
Step 4: Toast the Bread
Lightly toast the sourdough until just golden.
You want structure without losing that soft interior.
Step 5: Build the Perfect Sandwich
Construction matters.
Spread a generous layer of roasted garlic aioli on both slices of bread.
On the bottom slice:
Fresh basil leaves
Thick slices of heirloom tomato
Light sprinkle of salt and pepper
Crispy bacon
Thin slices of avocado
Butter lettuce
Top with the second slice of toasted sourdough.
Press gently.
Slice diagonally.
Admire your work.
Then prepare to make a mess.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with:
Homemade potato salad
Kettle chips
Crispy French fries
A light summer vegetable soup
Chilled cucumber soup
Fresh fruit salad
Nomad Kitchen Notes
The heirloom tomatoes are the star of the show. Buy the best tomatoes you can find.
The basil is what takes this sandwich from great to unforgettable.
Don't skip the roasted garlic aioli.
And if you're lucky enough to have a dog named Malcolm supervising from nearby, give him a tiny piece of bacon for quality assurance purposes.
Nomad Kitchen Rating
Crunchy ✔️
Creamy ✔️
Juicy ✔️
Messy ✔️
Worth every napkin ✔️
Summer on a sandwich ✔️
Visit us for more delicious adventures from the road at https://www.tretaylor.com/
