Video summary

POV: Making a Classic Sandwich (With a Chef's Twist)

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Recipe focus

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Fried-Bread Toast with homemade mayonnaise (chef’s method and tips)

Ingredients

  • Eggs: fresh egg yolks (for mayo). Pasteurised egg yolks suggested if you want longer storage.
  • Neutral oil (for mayo; trickle in to emulsify).
  • Mustard (for mayo, for flavor).
  • Vinegar (a little in mayo; also used with tomatoes — “cherry vinegar” mentioned).
  • Salt (for mayo and seasoning).
  • Lemon juice (a tiny bit in mayo).
  • Bread: potato bread used in the video; cut into two thicker outside pieces and one thinner “moist maker” center piece (fried).
  • Smoked streaky bacon (dry-cured streaky bacon).
  • Tomato (sliced thinly).
  • Shallot (thinly sliced).
  • Lettuce (leaves, trimmed).
  • Extra oil (to fry bread and supplement bacon fat).

Optional add-ins / substitutions

  • Sriracha or other hot sauce to make spicy mayo.
  • Pasteurised egg yolks to extend mayo life beyond 3–5 days.
  • Use a blender instead of whisking by hand.

Equipment & prep

  • Mixing bowl (place a cloth inside to stabilise while whisking).
  • Whisk (or blender if you prefer).
  • Skillet / frying pan (for bacon and frying the thinner bread slice).
  • Knife and board for slicing bread, tomato, shallot, lettuce.
  • Plate for finishing and pressing the sandwich.

Make-ahead / storage

  • Fresh mayo made with raw egg yolks: store about 3–5 days in the fridge.
  • Use pasteurised yolks if you need a longer shelf life.

Step-by-step method

  1. Prepare the mayonnaise

    • Stabilise your bowl (place a cloth inside).
    • Put a couple of egg yolks in the bowl, add a little mustard, salt and a splash of vinegar.
    • Whisk vigorously until combined.
    • Trickling in oil slowly while whisking, emulsify until it thickens to a butter-like, glossy consistency.
    • Finish with a tiny bit of lemon juice.
    • Variation: fold in sriracha or other flavourings for spicy mayo. A blender can be used instead of hand-whisking.

  2. Prep tomato & shallot

    • Slice tomato thinly (so the sandwich fits in your mouth).
    • Thinly slice shallot; place with tomato and season with salt, pepper, a splash of cherry vinegar and a little neutral oil.
    • Let sit for a couple of minutes to marinate — the vinegar draws out sweetness and the shallots soften.

  3. Cook the bacon

    • Use a skillet over moderate to low heat — not too high so the fat slowly caramelises and becomes crisp rather than chewy.
    • Cook until bacon is super crispy and fat is rendered; remove bacon and keep the pan with the fat.

  4. Fry the middle slice of bread in bacon fat

    • Add a little extra oil to the pan if needed.
    • Put the thinner center slice into the bacon fat, reduce heat, and let it soak up the fat and caramelised bits; do not add butter.
    • Warm (but do not heavily toast) the outer bread pieces if desired.

  5. Assemble the sandwich

    • Spread a generous layer of mayo on one outer slice.
    • Place marinated tomato slices on the mayo, add the softened shallots over them.
    • Add 2 trimmed lettuce leaves and even out layers.
    • Place the fried bread slice in the middle and add a light smear of mayo on it.
    • Add more lettuce and drizzle a little of the tomato dressing/juice over the top for extra moisture and flavor.
    • Place crispy bacon on top and cover with the other bread slice.
    • Press the sandwich down firmly so the mayo and bacon fat soak into the bread — this makes it easier to eat.

Assembly order (for clarity)

  1. Mayo-smeared bottom bread
  2. Tomato + shallot
  3. Lettuce
  4. Fried bread (middle slice)
  5. Light mayo smear
  6. Lettuce
  7. Tomato juice drizzle
  8. Crispy bacon
  9. Top bread — press before serving

Timings & technique cues

  • Mayo: whisk until thick, “butter-like”; trickle oil slowly to ensure a stable emulsion.
  • Tomato & shallot: marinate a couple of minutes.
  • Bacon: cook over low-to-moderate heat; render fat slowly to crisp without chewy bits.
  • Fried bread: reduce heat and allow bread to soak up bacon fat and caramelised bits; avoid over-toasting.

Chef tips & common mistakes to avoid

  • Stabilise your bowl with a cloth when whisking mayo by hand.
  • Trickle the oil slowly — crucial for a stable mayonnaise.
  • Don’t keep mayo made with raw yolks too long — about 3–5 days is recommended.
  • Cook bacon gently; too high heat makes the fat chewy.
  • Slice the tomato thinly so the sandwich fits in your mouth.
  • Warm outer bread lightly; let the middle slice soak up fat for texture and flavor.
  • Press the finished sandwich to compress layers and make it easier to eat.

Plating & serving suggestions

  • Arrange neatly; appearance matters: “you eat with your eyes first.”
  • Press the sandwich before serving to help meld layers and prevent excessive leakage.

Variations

  • Spicy mayo: add sriracha or another hot sauce to the homemade mayo.
  • Use pasteurised egg yolks for longer storage.
  • Make the mayo in a blender for an easier, hands-free method.

Presenter / source

  • Presenter is not named in the subtitles; they reference experience working at The Fat Duck. No additional sources cited.

Original video