Author Notes
Bless my father’s heart. Growing up he often took me to a local diner for breakfast, which was warm and inviting though it had poor decor and funky leather booths. Despite the hole-in-the wall appearance, I really loved going there; especially just to spend time with my dad. It was here that my strong distaste for bacon was born. From time to time, my father would order me a side of bacon, and what usually arrived at out table was what appeared to be a few strips of something horribly burnt. This bacon was so overdone that after one small bite it would fall apart into a pile of crumbs. But, I couldn’t tell my dad that, so I would take a few bites to appease him, and after a few years of doing that, I couldn’t imagine eating bacon again.
But about a year ago, I finally enjoyed a properly cooked piece of bacon. It was amazing, thick and juicy, and cooked to the just the right texture so that you could actually taste bacon, not char; I now understand what all the fuss is about.
Bacon is a great partner to a multitude of flavors, especially when paired with something slightly sweet. With that in mind I made a sandwich that possesses a delicate balance of savory and sweet, and of course, is fully blanketed in melted cheese. The key ingredient here is definitely the bacon, but the other important flavor in this sandwich is the fig jam that I used. I know that this is something most people wouldn’t have on hand, but I strongly urge you to buy some, because it really is that amazing. —The-Broken-Bread
Ingredients
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4
Slice good quality bread
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4-6
Slices Cooked Bacon
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6
Thin slices of Brie Cheese
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3-4 tablespoons
Fig Jam
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1
Pear, thinly sliced
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1-2 tablespoons
Butter
Directions
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Bake or pan fry bacon to desired doneness and set slices aside.
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Cut pear into thin slices and place on a skillet/panini press and cook on each side until tender, about 1 minute. When done, remove from pan/grill and set aside.
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Continue to build the sandwich by adding cooked pear, a few slices of brie cheese, and 2-3 strips of cooked bacon.
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Place sandwich on grill/panini press, and grill until warm and golden and cheese is melted.
Kristan Raines is the voice behind The-Broken-Bread, a food blog devoted to cooking seasonally and gathering with loved ones. Her aim is to only use fruits and vegetables at the peak of their season in order to make unique yet traditional recipes. You can visit her site at The-Broken-Bread.com
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