Mini BLT Cups

Here is another great bite-size picnic dish!

Ingredients

• For the BLT cups:
• 24 grape tomatoes
• 24 small pieces of lettuce
• ¼ cup crumbled crisp cooked bacon (about 3 pieces)
• 24 small pieces of bacon for garnish (about 2 pieces)
• For the chipotle aioli:
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup grape seed or other neutral flavoured oil (not olive!)
• 1-2 teaspoons of chipotles in adobo sauce
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon miso
• ¾ teaspoon sugar
• 3-4 drops of liquid smoke
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. To make the aioli:
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the room temperature egg yolk with the lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Slowly add the oil in a very small stream whisking constantly. If the oil starts to build up and not become incorporated, stop pouring and whisk the aioli aggressively. Continue whisking and pouring the oil in slowly until it is completely incorporated.
3. Combine all other ingredients in a small blender; I like to use the magic bullet for this. Blend well and then stir into aioli. Salt to taste
4. To assemble to BLT cups:
5. Cut the bottoms of the tomatoes off (they will stand on their tops.) Gently squeeze and roll the tomatoes between your fingers to remove the pulp. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead)
6. Stuff 1 piece of arugula (or other lettuce) into each tomato cup. Then place ½ teaspoon of bacon (you don’t need to be exact here!) into each. Top with a squeeze of chipotle aioli and a piece of bacon for garnish.

Notes

Feel free to substitute store bought mayo instead of homemade. Just make sure you don’t use Miracle Whip as it will taste funny in this dish. Also, don’t put store bought mayo in the blender with the rest of the chipotle aioli ingredients as it will turn runny  
If you are using store bought mayo use a half a cup and add these ingredients to it:
chipotles in adobo sauce, soy sauce, miso, sugar, liquid smoke and salt.

 

Recipe from:http://www.theendlessmeal.com/bite-sized-appetizers-mini-b-l-t-cups/