Another Blanton’s Excuse - Corn Fritter Sandwich with Bourbon Maple Bacon

Blanton’s Bourbon is my favorite. A little bit over a large ice cube at the end of press day (Tuesday night) is just what the doctor orders, many times.

It’s a little on the pricey side, so it may seem wasteful to use it in a recipe, but it’s just a few tablespoons, and hey, it was a good excuse to bring out the bottle.

Truth is, I wanted to make a sandwich or salad that was a little different, and this fit the bill. The photo of the sandwich at right is what I sent home with my kids.  I put all the “innards” on a bed of lettuce and ate it as a salad - both very good, and really different. It’s the bacon that makes the difference.

INGREDIENTS

8 slices thick-cut bacon

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Pinch cayenne pepper

FRITTERS

1 1/2 cups yellow corn - 2-3 ears of corn - no need to precook

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

salt and black pepper

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese

vegetable oil, for cooking

Romaine lettuce

CHIPOTLE AIOLI

1/2 cup mayo

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped*

juice from 1/2 a lemon

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet. Mix the bourbon, maple syrup, and a good pinch of cayenne together.

Brush the maple mix over the slices. Bake for 15 minutes. Use tongs to flip the bacon and bake until crispy, 5-8 minutes more.  Drain on a rack or foil - it may stick to a paper towel.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the corn, flour, baking powder, basil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the milk and cheese. The batter should be the consistency of oatmeal.

Heat a few tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add about 1/3  - 1/2 cup of batter to the skillet and then quickly smooth the batter out to a burger-type shape.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flip and cook another 2 minutes, or until brown and crisped all over. Remove and repeat with the remaining batter.

To make the aioli, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt. Add as many chipotles as you like to increase the heat and smoky flavor.

To assemble, spread the inside of the buns with aioli. Layer the lettuce, bacon and fritter on top.

If you prepare this as a salad, consider adding some cubed avocado. It would be great on the sandwich too, but would stack it pretty high.

I know only a few people in town that could get their mouths around that.