What's For Dinner Wednesday: Spicy PBLT's

BLTs are one of my favorite quick weeknight dinners. There's little to no cook time required and that's really just for the bacon, which could even be cooked ahead of time to save even more time. Alex and I often end up in a BLT phase where it becomes a part of our rotation for a few weeks at a time (since two people can only use up a package of bacon so quickly).

I recently changed up our usual BLT routine by adding an additional spicy element to the mix: roasted poblano peppers. Yes, that's where the "P" in PBLT comes from. I love the subtle spiciness of poblano peppers. They're larger and meatier than small chile peppers so they bulk up a dish in addition to adding spicy flavor. The other special component of this sandwich that adds a little heat is an easy homemade sandwich spread made of mayonnaise with a little lime juice and hot sauce. A little heat, a little tang, and some creaminess from the mayo is the perfect complement to this sandwich.

A few simple tweaks to a traditional BLT make this a spicy special sandwich. It's a perfect summer weeknight dinner when you're running low on time. Just serve them with a simple side salad or some summer corn on the cob and enjoy!


Ingredients:

• 1 poblano pepper
• 6 slices center cut bacon
• 4 slices of good bread *I used a spicy cheddar bread I picked up at the farmer's market, but would recommend a good loaf of sourdough or ciabatta
• 3 Tbs. mayonnaise 
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce
• 4-6 large lettuce leaves *I like Romaine, butter, or red or green leaf lettuce
• 1 large tomato, cut widthwise into 1/4-inch slices

Preheat the broiler. Slice poblano in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes from inside of the pepper. Place the pepper slices skin side up onto a foil-lined metal baking sheet.  Broil until skin is blackened and blistered.  Transfer peppers immediately to a medium sized bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set aside and let peppers cool, about 10-15 minutes.  Peel the skin from the outside of each pepper and discard the skins. 

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to the pan and cook on both sides until browned and crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and allow bacon to cool.

Toast all 4 slices of bread until golden brown. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Spread mayo mixture evenly on the inside of each toasted bread slice.

Since this recipe makes two sandwiches, pair up your bread slices and designate one slice per pair as the bottom slice. On that bottom slice, layer lettuce, followed by tomato slices. Add one half of the poblano to each sandwich and top with cooked bacon. Place the second slice of bread on top (mayo side down) and carefully slice in half using large serrated knife.