We took the winning flavors of a classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich and turned it into a gourmet mini BLT, perfect for serving as a passed hors d’oeuvre at a party. Each of the ingredients got special consideration.
In this BLT, speck from northern Italy is substituted for the bacon. Its flavor is slightly more robust than prosciutto. Speck is cured, then lightly smoked over the course of a few months, allowing the smoke to penetrate the meat thoroughly. Make sure to lightly crisp the speck, it should still be pliable, so it can be folded to fit into the mini sandwich. The softness of this ingredient makes it ideal for these mini BLTs.
Instead of just mayo, we added a little spice to ratchet up the flavors. For the lettuce, micro arugula greens were the right size to go into these, and added a bit of extra bitterness and spice themselves. Of course, for the tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, which tend to be sweeter than most tomatoes, added their bit. For the bread, focaccia was sliced into cubes, then cut in half.
Tip: Buy your micro greens day of the party, they do not last more than two days, and you want them to be ultra fresh. To see more ideas on hosting a party with all dishes “mini” check out this link, Mini Party Theme.
MAKES 24 BITES
CRISP THE SPECK
spray oil
8 slices speck
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Spray coat a heavy pan with oil. Fry strips briefly, about 1 min each side, to just crisp. Cut each slice into 3 pieces.
MAKE THE SPICY MAYO
1/2 CUP mayonnaise
1 TB sriracha
1/2 tsp lime zest
1/4 tsp organic garlic salt
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Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl.
CREATE THE BLTS
focaccia (12-inch square)
spicy mayo
arugula micro greens
cherry tomato, sliced into rounds
crisped speck
toothpicks
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Cut focaccia into 1-inch squares, then slice in half horizontally to create the top and bottom. On each half slather the spicy mayo then top with arugula and a slice of tomato. Fold the speck to fit bread, fit in between the two halves and secure with a pick.
Check out our other recipes featuring mini ingredients in 13 Everything Mini
