Matt Jennings' Smoky BLT

4 sandwiches

Charred Jalapeño Dressing:

1 each                        Jalapeño

1 each                         Large egg yolk

1 each                         Garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tablespoons           Sherry vinegar

½ cup                        Olive oil

½ cup                        Fresh dill leaves, packed

½ cup                        Fennel fronds, packed

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

BLT:

3 each                         Ripened heirloom tomatoes

12 pieces                    Thick-cut smoked bacon

4 each                         Ripened stone fruit, nectarines or peaches

8 slices                       Artisan bread, thick cut (about ¾”)

4 oz.                            Fresh chevre cheese, softened

4 slices                       Butter lettuce, cleaned well

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Charred Jalapeño Dressing:

1. Preheat grill on high for 5 minutes
2. Char your jalapeño directly over grill flame until the skin blisters and turns black.
3. Place in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes.
4. Slice in half and remove seeds and stem
5. In a food processor pulse jalapeño , egg yolk, garlic, and vinegar until smooth.
6. With motor running, remove feed tube pusher and gradually drizzle in oil until emulsified.
7. Add dill and fennel and process, adding water by the tablespoonful as needed, until dressing is the consistency of heavy cream; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Makes ½-cup

BLT:

1. Hull tomatoes and slice into thick rounds
2. Halve stone fruit by cutting from top to bottom along the pit. Hold each half and twist in opposite directions. Remove pit and cut into ½-inch slices. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Set grill on low
4. Grill one pound of thick cut bacon. A little at a time to avoid flare-ups. Make sure grill isn’t too hot or the bacon will char too quickly and burn, bacon should crisp up and develop some grill marks. Flip bacon and crisp the other side.
5. While the bacon is crisping, gently toast the four slices of bread on the upper deck of the grill. Remove when toasted and set aside.
6. Assemble your sandwich by spreading goat cheese on the bottom slice of toasted bread.
7. Layer tomatoes and stone fruit on top of the goat cheese.
8. Place bacon on top of the stone fruit and tomatoes.
9. Top with Lettuce
10. Drizzle the top piece of toasted bread with the Jalapeño Aioli. Place it on top of the sandwich and push down gently.
11. Cut in half and serve alongside the Street Corn and Frozen Grilled Pineapple Limeade.