Ina Garten Lobster BLTs

Ina Garten lobster BLTs turn crisp roasted bacon, sweet lobster meat and creamy avocado into a stacked toasted sandwich in 40 minutes. Try this easy lobster sandwich for summer lunch or date night, since it's a quick upgrade on a classic BLT that feels truly special.

Roast the bacon on a rack set over a sheet pan, because the hot air crisps both sides and the fat drips away. Fry it flat in a skillet instead and you get chewy, greasy strips that sog the toast.

Ina Garten likes to update classic recipes, so she took her favorite BLT and added lobster and avocado, which gives you a sandwich fancy enough to serve your mother-in-law. This one comes from Modern Comfort Food (2020).

Source: Modern Comfort Food (2020)

Ina Garten Lobster BLTs

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

Crunchy toast holds a creamy ketchup-relish dressing, cool avocado, juicy tomato and chunks of sweet lobster. Oven-roasted bacon keeps it crisp, so every bite has both crunch and tender seafood.

Ingredients

• 4 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, such as Nodine's
  

• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's
  

• 1/4 cup ketchup, such as Heinz
  

• 1 tablespoon sweet relish
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 2 ripe Hass avocados, pitted and peeled
  

• Juice of 1 lemon
  

• 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices good bakery white bread, lightly toasted (see note)
  

• 4 large Bibb, Boston, or butter lettuce leaves
  

• 4 (1/4-inch-thick) ripe red tomato slices (1 large tomato)
  

• 1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, sliced (see note)
  

Directions

• Roast the bacon: Preheat the oven to 400°F, set a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the 4 slices of bacon on it in a single layer. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until browned, then move it to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Make the dressing: Whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon sweet relish, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Set it aside while you get everything else ready.
• Prep the avocado: Slice the 2 avocados crosswise 1/4 inch thick and put the slices in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon. Toss them gently so the lemon coats every slice and keeps the green color.
• Toast the bread: Lightly toast the 8 slices of bread, either in a toaster or on a sheet pan in a 400°F oven until lightly golden. Then lay 4 slices on a board and slather them generously with the dressing.
• Build the sandwiches: Layer a lettuce leaf on each dressed slice, then the avocado, then a tomato slice, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cut each bacon slice in half, set both halves on the tomato, and top with a quarter of the sliced lobster.
• Close and serve: Spread more dressing generously on the remaining 4 slices of toast and set them sauce side down on the sandwiches. Serve right away, while the toast is still crisp.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Hellmann's real mayonnaise, 30 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How much lobster meat do I need for 4 sandwiches?

You need 1/2 pound of cooked lobster meat, sliced. If you buy whole cooked lobsters, two 1 1/4-pound lobsters give you about that much meat.

Can I toast the bread in the oven instead of a toaster?

Yes, and it works well when you are making all 8 slices at once. Arrange them on a sheet pan and bake in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes, until lightly toasted.

Can I make these lobster BLTs ahead of time?

Assemble them right before serving, because the toast goes soft once the dressing and tomato sit on it. You can roast the bacon and whisk the dressing earlier in the day and keep the dressing in the fridge.

What can I use instead of lobster?

Cooked shrimp or lump crab meat work well with the same dressing and bacon. Both are sweet and mild like lobster, so they will not fight the smoky bacon.

What is the most common mistake with these sandwiches?

Using pale, flimsy bread is the usual problem, since it turns soggy under the dressing and tomato. Choose good bakery white bread sliced 1/2 inch thick and toast it well so it holds everything.