A request from Bidvest 3663 to join its competition to create the “Ultimate Bacon Butty” resulted in me coming up this tasty number: a three bacon butty with lardo and iceberg lettuce. Having trouble choosing which was the best type of bacon to use, I simple decided to layer this epic sandwich with three of my favourite cures (English style back, American style streaky, and Italian pancetta) along with plenty of crisp iceberg lettuce for good measure and a couple of ultra thin slices of super savoury lardo to up the flavour to the next level of yum. The bread? I reckon it’s gotta be a crusty roll for added crunch with a bit of soft, sop-it-up texture on the inside.
THREE BACON BUTTY WITH LARDO AND ICEBERG LETTUCE Yum
Ingredients (for one sandwich)
• 1 rasher of unsmoked back bacon;
• 2 strips of smoked streaky bacon;
• 2 strips of pancetta (sliced in thin strips);
• 2 thin slices of lardo (try your local Italian deli if you can’t find it in the supermarket);
• Iceberg lettuce to taste;
• 1 crusty roll.
Method
• Place all the pieces of bacon flat on a cold cast iron skillet set to medium-low heat;
• Make sure to flip over all the piece a couple of minutes into frying;
• All the pieces should cook at about the same rate, but if pay attention as you may want to remove or shift some pieces at different times depending on how browned or crispy you like your bacon;
• Once the bacon is nearly finished frying, lower the heat to a minimum setting; Split your roll in two and place each half of the roll interior side down on top of the meat (saving room for the lardo);
• Place the lardo on top of the meat as well;
• As soon as the lardo becomes translucent, remove it and the bread from the skillet placing one piece of lardo on either interior side of the roll (press the lardo into the bread with the back of a spoon as if to spread it on like butter);
• When the bacon is thoroughly cooked, place the pieces of bacon between two kitchen towels to absorb some of the grease before building your butty;
• Stack your sandwich with a layer of streaky bacon on top of the bottom of the roll, and then 4 to 6 leaves of lettuce, the rasher of back bacon, another layer of lettuce, followed by the pancetta before topping it all with the ‘lid’ of the roll.
Serving
Of course you can add whatever condiments, toppings or seasonings to this sarnie that you may wish, but I reckon there’s more loads more depth of flavour and plenty more satisfying crunch to this simple – if indulgent – creation than you might expect. Enjoy!
The Search for the Ultimate Bacon Butty
Think you can do better? The Search for the Ultimate Bacon Butty runs until 30 November. Find out more about the prizes, T&Cs etc at 3663.co.uk/bidvest-3663-search-ultimate-bacon-butty.
Read more tikichris recipes.
