Ingredients
Makes 4 sandwiches
8 slices sourdough bread
1/2 pound high quality bacon (I used Main Street Meats belly bacon)
1 head butter lettuce
2 large green tomatoes, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn meal
3/4 cup buttermilk
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup basil mayo, recipe to follow
Safflower oil for frying
Basil Mayo:
2 egg yolks
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 cup grape seed oil
3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Place the egg yolks, dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Very slowly, pour in the grape seed oil, whisking constantly. The mayo will thicken significantly, but will not be as thick as store bought mayo. Add the basil and stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
For the sandwiches:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the bacon on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook 10-12 minutes or until bacon has reached your preferred crispness. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat enough safflower oil to cover the bottom of the pan with a depth of 1/4 inch. While the oil is heating, place the buttermilk in a small shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cornmeal and season with salt and pepper. Dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk then in the flour and cornmeal mixture, coating all sides evenly. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove the tomato slices from the pan and place on paper towels. Season with a little more salt.
Toast the bread until it has started to get crisp but has not started to brown. Remove from the oven and assemble the sandwiches.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with 1 1/2 tsp. of the basil mayo. Stack with several lettuce leaves, 2-3 tomato slices and 2-3 slices of bacon. Serve immediately.
