The B.L.T. Flatbread

Bacon, Lobster and Tomato, that is.  

You heard me.  How about a summery twist on a comfort food in the height of tomato season?  This is a great starter, hors d'oeuvres or eye-opener for your next wine tasting. 

Your grocery store has lots of options for flatbreads these days.  Use a soft one, like pita or tandoori nan, or go all out, and roll out some pizza dough and pre-bake a shell.  If you want to make it the way I do, it's all about building flavors which takes some time, but it's worth it.  

Roast off a head of garlic in some aluminum foil with a little olive oil.  When it's finished and cool, pop out a couple of pieces of roasted garlic and spread them on the flatbread with the back of a spoon.  

Next, take your favorite bacon and cut in half, length-wise, then cut across the other direction to make little cubes, or for pros, go skinny and make lardons.  The bacon is a key element here, so use a nice, thick-cut slab bacon from the farmer's market, or go all out for Neuskie's Double Smoked Applewood Bacon or Niman Ranch Bacon (avail. at Trader Joe's).

Spread the bacon around the flatbread like you would pepperoni on a pizza.  Next, you're going to need some lobster meat, sports fans.  Your local reputable fish-market sells what they call "knuckle meat" or another kind called "slipper meat".  These are less expensive types of lobster meat, so it won't set you back too much.  The meat is already in small bite-size pieces, so do nothing to it.  Spread your lobster meat on top evenly.

This is where you can make it more interesting.  Add some chopped shallot.  I use shallot, because it is more subtle and cooks by the time the other ingredients do.  Add some fresh chopped basil or tarragon, which works nicely with lobster.  Last, put a little grated cheese, like mozzarella or a mild fontina or Asiago.  Don't smother the other ingredients so they can cook.  Drizzle some of that left over oil from the roasted garlic on top and, pop it in the oven at about 385 degrees F until the edges of the bacon and crust turn a light golden brown. 

Lastly, you wouldn't put tomato or lettuce in the toaster for your BLT, so make sure you wait until the flatbread comes out of the oven for the final step.  Chop some nice, ripe tomatoes- skins, seeds and all- and sprinkle atop the flatbread, along with some baby arugula, cut into bite-size pieces and serve it up HOT!

Wine Suggestions- A dry, fruity Chenin Blanc from the Northwest would be nice, or a vibrant Albarino from Spain.  Acidity is key, but then so is fruit.  It's a versatile snack, so feel free to experiment with different types of wine.  W.W.R.D.?  Champagne, baby!

Ingredients for two B.L.T. Flatbreads:

2 flatbreads (pocket-less pita or tandoori nan; or make your own with pizza crust)
1 head roasted garlic
2-4 pieces of bacon
4 oz. lobster meat
1 minced shallot
1 tsp of chopped basil or tarragon
2-4 oz. of grated mozzarella (or other mild cow's milk cheese)
1/2 cup fresh chopped tomato
Fresh baby arugula

What do I do with the other lobster meat?  Duh- break out the mayonnaise and hot dog rolls.  Lobster Rolls!  Use the same ingredients, minus the cheese and bind it all together with some mayo, season with salt and pepper, add a dash of lemon and serve on a toasted bun.