Vietnamese Bánh mì Sandwiches with Fresh Pickled Radish & Carrots

My plate has been super full these days, but I am most fortunate to have foodie friends willing to help out. This post came about because on a recent food-filled trip to Charleston we saw a stall at the Saturday morning Farmer's Market selling Bánh mì sandwiches (Bánh mì is a Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread). Turns out my pal Deborah is a BIG Bánh mì sandwich fan and actually makes them at home (a lot). So for your eating edification, she offered to share not only the How To process but her recipe for crispy, Fresh Pickled Carrots and Radishes.

Vietnamese Bánh mì Sandwiches  

If you've ever had a Vietnamese Bánh mì Sandwich, you're probably already a fan. They are brilliantly magical! Starting with the lightly crisped bread, to the layered flavors of condiments, tangy crunchy vegetables, pungent fresh herb, the zesty bite of a chile pepper, and of course the savory protein star of the sandwich, everything about this sandwich is right.

The genius of the Bánh mì sandwich comes from its cultural fusion of French and Vietnamese flavors (from France's colonial period in Indochina). The Bánh mì sandwich pairs a sturdy French baguette, sausages and even pate with distinctly Asian flavors resulting in a portable meal that is both hearty and delicate. Bánh mì sandwiches can be made with any meat, from a thin-sliced garlicky chicken sausage or Asian-spiced pork tenderloin medallions to seasoned tofu or beef sate. You get the idea.

For many, the magic of these creations lies in the fresh vegetable pickles. Crisp and tangy, they elevate a humble sandwich into something sublime. Luckily, they are ridiculously simple to make and to experiment with. No canning or processing -- just slice up the veggies, add a hot sweet brine, wait at least an hour and voila! You've got fabulous pickles that are perfect for Bánh mì sandwiches, or to perk up any salads or antipasto plates.

Fresh Pickled Carrots and Radishes

2 large carrots (or 3 medium)
about 1 lb (16 oz.) Daikon or red globe radish both types of radish are easy to find in supermarkets
1 tsp salt preferably fine sea salt
2 tsp plus 1/2 cup sugar you can use Splenda or other substitute, you just need to experiment a bit to get the sweetness to your liking
1-1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
Quart jar

Peel the daikon radish and carrots, then slice into matchsticks of roughly the same length and width. If using red globe radish, you can cut it into thin rounds vs. matchsticks. These radishes also give the pickles a beautiful pink tinge.

Place the vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and 2 tsp of the sugar. Gently massage the vegetables for around 3 minutes. They will release some liquid and soften up.

Rinse the vegetables and drain in a colander. Then transfer them to your quart jar. You can also make these in a tupperware container if you don't have a jar.

For the brine, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with vinegar and water over medium head until the sugar dissolves. No need to boil. Be sure all bubbling has stopped, you want the brine to cool a bit before pouring into the jar. This is important because you want to brine the vegetables -- not cook them! Fully cover your veggie pickles and discard any remaining brine.

Let them sit for at least an hour and then taste to adjust for seasoning. If you want them to be a touch sweeter, add more sugar. If you like them more tart, add a bit more vinegar. Play around!

You can use your fresh pickles after an hour, but the flavor is best after at least 24 hours. These pickles will keep in your fridge for up to a month, but I bet they don't last that long.

Note: radish pickles can seem a bit stinky when you first open the jar. Don't worry! They are still good. Just let them air out a bit before assembling your sandwich.

Now it's time to assemble your Bánh mì sandwich!

BREAD -- Slice open your bread roll, lightly toast, and take out some of the crumb on one side to make room for your vegetables. The only rule here on bread choice is don't pick a bread that is going to scratch up the top of your mouth when you eat the sandwich! You know what I mean. So use what works best for you: hoagie roll, ciabatta roll, baguette, etc.

FAT -- Use a homemade mayo, salted butter, garlic aioli, mashed avocado or my favorite -- sriracha mayo. Be sure to spread from edge to edge on your bread.

CONDIMENT -- Here's where you can get creative! Use hoisin sauce, Maggi seasoning (a wonderfully flavorful version of soy sauce), Sriracha sauce, or just a light sprinkling of fish sauce. Most any Asian sauce will work, it all depends on what you like. Again, be sure to spread from edge to edge on your bread so that every bite is perfectly flavorful.

PROTEIN -- You can use just about anything that makes your mouth water, just be sure it is sliced thin so it is easy to bite through. My favorite is a flavorful chicken sausage sliced on the diagonal.

CUCUMBER -- Thinly slice the cucumber of your choice. You can use any kind of cucumber, and peel them or not, as you wish.

CHILE PEPPER -- It's traditional to use thin slices of a chile pepper, but if that's not you're thing, no worries. Think jalapeno, thai chile, Anaheim or your personal favorite. I'm not so into the hotness, so I skip this part.

PICKLES -- Now it's time to use your favorite pickled vegetables! Drain them slightly before adding to your sandwich so it's not drippy and messy.

FRESH HERB -- Think cilantro, Thai or sweet basil, mint, or any pungent fresh herb that makes you happy.

Now take a look at your colorful, savory delicious masterpiece and enjoy!

Turkish Tacos

 

 

Found a new ground turkey recipe I love and changed it up a bit to make an awesome taco filling...because crunchy food is fun and tacos rock.  You're welcome. :)

Turkish Tacos

1 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. ground turkey
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1-1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped olives
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup raisins
2-3 tbsp. capers
salt and pepper, to taste

corn taco shells
shredded lettuce
shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

In a large skillet, sauté the onion, pepper, and garlic until onions are translucent.

Add in the ground turkey and cook until cooked through. Mix in the tomato paste, cumin, ground red pepper, and cinnamon.  Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.

Add in the diced tomatoes, almonds, raisins and capers.  Continue to cook uncovered for 5-6 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste.  Adjust spices as desired.

Stuff into taco shells with shredded lettuce and cheese.  Just try to stop at one, I dare you.

King Ranch Chicken

 

Tonight I have something yummy and filling and perfect for a chilly winter night -- King Ranch Chicken.  I had never heard of it before, but when I was in Guatemala, one of my new friends asked if I could make this for him, well, come up with a recipe for him.  Senor Jorgesito, this one is for you.

King Ranch Chicken is like a Tex-Mex lasagna (only without noodles) named after King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Texas.  It's a very popular casserole dish and there are many, many variations to be found, but this is the one I came up with.  If you enjoy a slight tingling sensation in your lips while you eat, this is the version for you.  I would highly recommend a cold beer to go with it.

K2's King Ranch Chicken

1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pre-cooked
butter or butter spray (optional)
lime juice (optional)
chili powder (optional)
1 (10 oz.) can Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice & Cilantro
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
2 small dried red chiles, de-seeded and cut into flakes
1+ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1+ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2/3 bag bite-sized Tostitos

Shred your pre-cooked chicken and set bowl aside.

If you have the time to do you own, I cooked my chicken breasts by wrapping them in foil with a spritz or two of I Can't Believe Its Not Butter spray, a couple of squeezes of lime juice and some liberal dashes of chili powder. Baked it at 425 degrees for 35 minutes.  Removed it from the oven and cooled to handling temp so I wouldn't burn my fingies when I went to shred it.

In a deep sauce pan, combine diced toms with both soups and cook on low heat.

While sauce is warming, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.  When ready, add diced green pepper, diced onion, and red chile flakes to pan.  Sauté until onions are translucent and green peppers are cooked through.

Add the pepper-onion mix and shredded chicken to your sauce and mix until everything is evenly combined.

In a small bowl, mix together the shredded pepper jack and cheddar cheeses.

To assemble -- we're making two layers so you'll want to make sure to divide all your parts equally between the two.

In a 9x13" baking pan (or as I did, two smaller pans so one could be given to the parental types), lay down a layer of Tostitos.

Cover corn chips with a generous layer of the chicken-veggie-soup sauce and cover with a layer of the mixed cheeses.

Repeat the layering.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cheese is toasty on the top.  Remove from oven and serve up right away.

NOTES

If you like Tex-Mex but aren't a big fan of the spicy, you can always omit the dried red chiles and just use a mild or medium cheddar cheese instead of the mix of cheddar and pepper jack.

The Ro*Tel tomatoes tend to be pretty kicky too so if you want to take it down a notch further, then just substitute your favorite Mexican-style tomatoes for those as well.

Would go great with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole on the side and you could always garnish with some shredded lettuce to help complement the lip-tingling sensation.

The New Southwest: Pomegranate and Lime Chicken Thighs

Okay, this was the recipe that originally caught my eye when I was checking out The New Southwest.  Takes a little more time than the enchiladas did, but the flavor is pretty outstanding.  I ended up making the enchiladas as a side dish to go with the chicken thighs and it made for an outstanding meal together.

The original recipe is set up for grilling the thighs, but because I do not have a working grill, I made some modifications and prepared them stovetop.  My modifications are noted below, but I've provided the recipe as is in the book.

Pomegranate and Lime Chicken Thighs

For the thighs

1 cup Green yogurt plain
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs I used 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Pomegranate arils for garnish (optional)

For the Pomegranate and Lime Glaze

2 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice = juice from 2 small limes
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

To marinate chicken, combine the yogurt, pomegranate juice, salt and garlic powder in a ziptop bag.  Add chicken thighs and toss well to coat.  Refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight.  I whisked the yogurt, juice and spices in a bowl first to get them well blended, then poured them over the trimmed chicken thighs in the bag.



Once you are ready to cook the thighs, preheat your grill to medium heat.

To prepare the glaze, place the pomegranate juice, sugar, lime juice, honey, and mustard in a small saucepan, whisk together and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, place chicken thighs skin side up on heated grill, cover, and cook until chicken has browned and is no longer pink, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.  Uncover, flip thighs, and cook for just 2 to 3 minutes more to crisp and slightly char the skins.  Remove cooked thighs, top with glaze, garnish with arils, if desired, and serve immediately.

Okay for the grill-free folks out there, I went stovetop.  I put them in a deep skillet over high heat for a few minutes, then drained off the excess liquid.

I continued to cook them over high heat until they were seared, then lowered the temperature. 

I added about half of the glaze to the pan (holding some back the rest to drizzle over the thighs when I plated them), and continued to cook the thighs, turning every couple of minutes until they were no longer pink inside.

I garnished them with fresh arils and then served them up with some stacked squash enchiladas on the side.

Muy bueno!

YIELD: 2 to 3 servings

NOTES

I found the small container or arils at Harris Teeter.  You should check the produce area at your grocery store to see if they sell them separately.  Otherwise, pomegranates are currently in season and easy to find whole.

The flavors in this dish are really well balanced.  I could tell because when we started eating, Dad said that he could really taste the lime in the glaze, Mom said the honey was the first thing she tasted and for me the stand-out flavor was the Dijon, so we enjoyed a difference experience form the same dish.

Scallops Bechamel on Toast

Since I'm in Maine visiting relatives, I figured it would be an act of sacrilege to leave the state without whipping up a little fresh seafood something-something.  Fortunately I have a generous family who stepped up to be my taste testers.  :)

I was going to call this "Chipped Scallops on Toast" a la "Chipped Beef on Toast" but my retired military uncle reminded me of the no-so-flattering nickname given to that taste treat, so I went with something a little more appealing.  No matter what you call it though, it is D-lish!

Scallops Bechamel on Toast

bechamel sauce
2 cups milk
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg

scallops mix
1 lb. fresh sea scallops, cut in half (or quarters depending on their size)
1 cup shitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup ham steak, small diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

soft crusted French baguette, sliced
1-2 tsbp parmesan cheese

To make the sauce:

In a small saucepan, scald milk (aka heat to almost but not boiling).

In another heavy bottom saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and blend until it forms a roux, cook for 1 minute then remove from heat.

Pour in half of the heated milk and mix until the roux is incorporated.

Return to low heat and stir until it thickens.  Add in rest of heated milk with white pepper, salt, and nutmeg.  You can adjust the seasoning to taste.

Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the scallop mix: 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in onions and garlic.  Cook 2-3 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent.

Add in the scallops and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the scallops start turning opaque white (half cooked).

Add in the diced ham, and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add in chopped shitake and cook for 1-2 minutes.

When the scallops are completely cooked, reduce the heat to low and pour in the prepared bechamel sauce.  Mix well, the sauce will thicken as it sits.

Remove from heat.

Slice the baguette into 1" thick slices (cut on a diagonal to make larger pieces).

Place the slices on a cookie sheet covered with foil.  Place the cookie sheet in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees.  Toast until the top half starts to crisp up, then turn them all over and continue to toast until the second side is crispy as well.

Remove from oven.  Cover each slice with a generous spoonful of the scallop bechamel.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Set the oven to broil and place the cookie sheet under the broiler.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until tops are toasted.  Remove and serve.

NOTES

Want to send a special shout out to my favorite Maine-iacs for letting me commandeer the kitchen and use them as my guinea pigs.

From the oohs and aahs and happy grunting noises, I took that to mean the family thought it was pretty good.  It is fairly rich so be warned.

You want a soft bread to toast so that it will be crunchy (versus chewy). 

All of the chops and dices were small so that biting into the toast would be easy and not messy.

These can be made into appetizers or a meal, depending on how big you cut your bread.

Broiled Salmon with Hawaiian BBQ Sauce

 

So the other part of Guinea Pig Dad's Happy Pappy Day feast on Sunday was a little Southern Seas-inspired fish dish that I whipped up for the seafood lover in him.

This taste treat was the result of a conversation I had with my friend Cooper who told me his family makes this delicious grilled salmon with a Hawaiian BBQ sauce.  But since he couldn't remember exactly what all the ingredients were and in what quantity they were used, we brainstormed a list of potential things that could work (in case he forgot to send me the recipe, which he did forget to do, silly Cooper!) and I just ran with it up from there.  I love it when a culinary experiments comes together!

You'll want to make the BBQ sauce about an hour before you plan to cook the salmon so that the flavors have time to sit together and blend.  It only take 10 minutes to prep and cook the salmon once the BBQ sauce is ready.

Broiled Salmon with Hawaiian BBQ Sauce

1-1/2 to 1-3/4 lbs. salmon (with or without skin on one side)

the "rub"
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

Hawaiian BBQ Sauce
1 (15 oz.) can plain tomato sauce
1 (8 oz.) can crushed or chunk pineapple
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar, loose not packed
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 cinnamon stick

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the BBQ sauce.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When the sauce is ready, strain it into a saucepan and set aside.

Turn the oven broiler on and set the over rack on the 2nd level down from the top.

Take your salmon and cut it into 4-5 oz. individual fillets.  If you bought it with skin-on, leave it on during the cooking process, will be easier to remove once the fillets are cooked.

 

With the skin-side down, sprinkle the "rub" on the top half.

Place the fillets on a broiling pan and cover with a spoonful or two of the BBQ sauce.

Put on the rack in the oven and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the salmon flakes apart and is opaque in the center.

While the salmon is cooking, bring the rest of the BBQ sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat and add to salmon once it's been served.

All done and yum.

NOTES

Don't forget that there is a piece of skin under the salmon.  Once the fish is cooked, it is very easy to remove.

Special Dad Note:  if your daughter is serving the salmon over rice, put the cooked salmon sauce-side down on the pile of rice, remove skin from bottom, pour more sauce on top.  Less muss, less fuss, more sauce, all good.

In this recipe, you don't want to substitute regular Paprika for Smoked Paprika because you really want to bit of that smoked flavor.  The recipe that Cooper and his family use actually uses Liquid Smoke so if you had that instead, just substitute with a dash or two and you should be set.

Salmon goes really well with whole grain or brown rice.  Mom made a nice fruit & veggie Waldorf salad variation on the side (which I will try to make for another post).

If you don't like salmon, but want to use it on fish, make sure to use another heavier fish (versus a light white fish) so that it holds up to the sauce.  Anything lighter will just get overwhelmed.

The Hawaiian BBQ Sauce would go really well with grilled chicken or on pork, like pork ribs or pork chops.