Get Reba McEntire's Twist on a BLT from Her Oklahoma Restaurant
The country music star's southern-style eatery promises "down home" comfort food
You'll feel like family at Reba McEntire's Oklahoma southern-style restaurant, bar and concert venue — Reba's Place.
While browsing through the country star's personal memorabilia and watching live music performances onstage ("I'll do some singing!" McEntire promises.), customers can dig into comforting meals like the "Fancy" steak dinner, Reba's crispy smashed potatoes and this spin on the towering BLT sandwich (shared below and in this week's issue of PEOPLE).
The spot also has lots of nods to her loved ones — the third-floor library includes books owned by McEntire's late mother, Jacqueline. "They were her treasure," she says.
Reba's Place — a 15,000-square-foot space — is situated in Atoka, Okla. which is about midway between Tulsa and Dallas.
The restaurant's chef is Kurtess Mortensen, formerly of the Pioneer Woman Mercantile (Ree Drummond's restaurant in Pawhuska, about three hours away).
"I told them, 'You got to have great iced tea. Great bread. I want chicken fried steak. Chicken fried chicken. I want beans and cornbread,' " McEntire told PEOPLE ahead of the grand opening.
"I am so proud of everyone involved," she added.
For more on McEntire, plus our full list of things to do, eat, and see this summer, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
BLT with Bacon Aioli
1 garlic head, peeled
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. tomato paste or double-concentrate tomato paste
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. canola oil
9 slices cooked thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, crisply cooked and divided
1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
4 (½-in.-thick) whole-grain bread slices, toasted
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
1 large (12-oz.) heirloom tomato, cut into 6 slices
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 250°. Place garlic and olive oil in a small ovenproof saucepan, adding more oil as needed until cloves are submerged. Cover; bake until garlic is golden and tender, 1 hour to 1 hour, 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let garlic confit cool, uncovered, 30 minutes.
2. Remove 3 cooled garlic cloves from oil, and place in a food processor. Add tomato paste and egg yolk; pulse until smooth, about 5 pulses. Pour canola oil and 6 tablespoons oil from garlic confit into a liquid measuring cup. With food processor running, gradually pour oil mixture in 2 batches through food chute; scrape down sides and bottom of bowl after each addition. Process until mixture resembles the consistency of mayonnaise, 2 to 3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time if mixture is too thick. Transfer aioli to a medium bowl.
3. Finely chop 1 bacon slice; add chopped bacon, basil and ¼ teaspoon salt to aioli in bowl, stirring until combined.
4. Spread each piece of toasted bread with 1 tablespoon aioli. Top 2 bread slices each evenly with lettuce and tomato slices. Season tomatoes with pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt. Top with 4 bacon slices each. Cover with remaining 2 bread slices; serve.
Serves: 2
Active time: 35 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
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Read the original article on People.
