Maple Lacquered Bacon, Lettuce, And Tomato Sandwich

• Maple Lacquered Bacon
• 12 strips bacon
• 1/4 cup good maple syrup (approximate)
• lots of freshly ground black pepper
• BLT
• soft salted butter, as needed
• 8 slices thick wheat bread (or sourdough or ciabatta rolls)
• mayonnaise or garlic aioli, as needed
• 8 large leaves butterhead lettuce
• 8 large, thick slices of really good tomato
• salt and pepper, to taste
• thinly sliced red onion (optional)

1. Lay a silpat on a baking sheet, and spread the bacon out on top of it. Use a pastry brush to glaze the bacon (on both sides) with maple syrup. Be generous and be warned: your hands will be sticky (worth it).
2. Use a coarse grinder to grind lots of black pepper on the bacon. I give it a whole lot - almost like pepper crusted maple lacquered bacon. You can do less, but definitely do some!
3. Transfer the baking sheet to a 400 degree oven and cook until the fat begins to render out of the bacon and the maple has begun to caramelize. At this point, I usually drain the fat off and re-glaze with a little more syrup. You don't want the bacon fat to dillute the mapley flavor. Keep cooking until the bacon is crisp and candied.
4. Spread the butter generously over the bread, and toast on a hot griddle until nicely browned and toasted on both sides.
5. Spread mayonnaise or garlic aioli on half the slices of bread, and place a leaf of lettuce and a slice of tomato on top. Season the tomato with lots of salt and pepper. Add some onion, if using.
6. Place the bacon on top of the tomato and top with another slice of bread. Then eat that sucker.

maple, bacon, maple syrup, lots of freshly ground black pepper, butter, thick wheat bread, mayonnaise, butterhead lettuce, tomato, salt, red onion

Taken from food52.com/recipes/16724-maple-lacquered-bacon-lettuce-and-tomato-sandwich (may not work)