The Egg-in-the-Nest BLT was created at peak time for late night bites: 2 am. I was stuck between boredom and hunger during winter break. In my mind, that combination could only lead to one thing—watching clips of Spanglish on YouTube. I remember watching this film in my preteen years; the best scene had to be Adam Sandler cutting into this beautiful egg BLT sandwich, the yolk bursting out the sides as he made one of the most iconic cross-sections in food cinema history. Thinking about that scene made me hungry on the spot.
For some reason, a clip of the egg-in-the-nest scene from V for Vendetta played on my TV right after the Spanglish clip. This made me think “Why isn’t there an egg-in-the-nest BLT in the world?” My stomach and heart knew what I had to do. Fifteen minutes later, a hybrid food-porn worthy sandwich was born.
That night, all I had on hand was romaine lettuce, left-over slices of roma tomatoes and bacon from dinner, and semi-frozen hamburger buns. While some of the ingredients weren’t ideal, the end result was exactly what I wanted. I made a couple of swaps after playing around with this idea for a couple of days. Replacing the small hamburger bun for a long piece of sourdough bread yielded better results.
This sandwich combined two delicious yet small dishes into one completely satisfying sandwich. The crisp and buttery egg-in-the-nest portion paired with the smokiness of some crunchy bacon, the semi-sweet soft bite of heirloom tomato slices, and a refreshing bit of butter lettuce made for a great combination of different textures and flavors. With a cold beer—or an ice cold Mango La Croix in my case—this Egg-in-the-Nest BLT sandwich will make upcoming cram sessions significantly more tolerable.
Egg-in-the-Nest BLT
Ingredients
Instructions
In a medium sized non-stick pan, cook preferred bacon on medium heat until cooked to preference.
#SpoonTip: Use non-stick spray when cooking turkey bacon for a crispier result.
While bacon is cooking, spread softened butter thinly on both sides of each piece of bread. On one piece of bread, use a measuring cup or regular cup to make a circular indent. Use a knife to cut out a hole for later, and save the cut-out piece of bread. Clean out pan of bacon fat and bits.
Spray pan with non-stick spray and heat pan to medium heat. Place both pieces of bread on pan and crack egg into bread with the hole. In three minutes (or when egg is no longer translucent), flip both pieces of bread. If you want cheese, place cheese slices on the non-egg piece of bread until melted. After one minute, remove from heat and set aside. If desired, use residual heat of pan to crisp the cut-out piece of bread.
Assemble sandwich as desired. My personal preference is bread, lettuce, tomato with some cracked pepper, bacon, and topped with egg-in-the-nest bread. Be sure to take a picture of the incredible cross-section for your Instagram and/or Snapchat.
This recipe is special because of its countless combinations and possibilities. Vegetarians could easily replace bacon with jackfruit bacon, and those who don’t eat pork can substitute bacon for turkey bacon. Swapping out the butter lettuce for arugula or adding avocado can create a whole new flavor experience. On the nights when your brain is fried and your stomach demands tasty nourishment, this sandwich will hit the spot within a few short minutes. Give it a try and I promise your late night cram session will end on a good note.