Bahn Mi Sandwich

Banh Mi

 

"This version of the popular Vietnamese bahn mi sandwich has sweet and tangy pickled vegetables and broiled chicken breast, served on a toasted French baguette."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup carrot, cut into 1/16-inch-thick

matchsticks

1/4 cup white (daikon) radish, cut into 1

/16-inch-thick matchsticks

1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half (I use pork sliced or pounded thin.)

garlic salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 (12 inch) French baguette

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves

1 small jalapeno pepper - seeded and cut

into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks

1 wedge lime

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Place rice vinegar, water, and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Allow the mixture to cool.

2.

Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the carrot, radish, and onion in a bowl, and allow to stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain off the excess vinegar mixture after the vegetables have marinated.

3.

While the vegetables are marinating, preheat the oven's broiler, and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Lightly oil a slotted broiler pan.

4.

Sprinkle the chicken breast with garlic salt and pepper, and broil on slotted broiler pan, turning once, until the center of the chicken breast is no longer pink and the surface has browned, about 6 minutes per side. Remove the broiled chicken, and slice into bite-size pieces.

5.

Slice the baguette in half the long way, and pull the center of the bread out of the baguette halves, leaving a cavity for the filling. Place the baguette halves under the broiler to lightly toast, 2 to 3 minutes.

6.

To assemble the bahn mi sandwich, spread each half of the toasted baguette with mayonnaise, and fill the cavity of the bottom half of the bread with broiled chicken, cucumber slices, pickled carrot, onion, and radish, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno pepper. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the filling, and top with the other half of the baguette.

Crab boil with Lobster

• ▢ 4 lobster tails
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup butter melted
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon thyme minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon rosemary minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon parsley chopped

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to broil or 500 degrees. Start by preparing the lobster. Using kitchen shears butterfly the tail by cutting down the center. Loosen the meat and pull the lobster meat upward. Salt and pepper the meat and set on a baking sheet.
• In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Spread evenly on each lobster tail.
• Broil the lobster tails for about 8-10 minutes or until the meat is opaque and lightly brown on the top. Serve with melted butter if desired. These lobsters were 4 ounces so I cooked them for about 4 1/2 minutes.  I added lemon juice to the dipping butter mixture.

 

New Meatball recipd

This was in the NYT recently.  I gave it a try. Charlie liked the old recipe I use better.  I made two loaves of bread today. One went to make garlic toast.  Plans for the other one tomorrow, is a Bahn Mi sandwich.

 Classic American Italian Meatballs NYT Oct 2025

  INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS 4 servings (12meatballs)

1large egg

½ cup whole-milk ricotta 

¼ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano,  + extra    for serving

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ pound ground beef

½ pound ground pork 

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

               FOR THE SAUCE

1 T. olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 (12 oz.) jar Passata or 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

       PREPARATION

1.   Prepare the meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk to combine the egg, ricotta, Pecorino Romano, parsley, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper. With your hands or a spatula, mix in the ground beef and pork until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

2.    Form the meatballs: Using a standard soup spoon, scoop a scant ¼ cup of the meatball mixture into the palm of your hand, and use the spoon to scrape the mixture against your palm and shape it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture to form 12 meatballs.

3.  Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the passata and simmer on low until bubbling, 4 to 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

4.   To cook the meatballs, heat the ¼ cup olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmery, add half the meatballs and sear until golden brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to the prepared sauce and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

5.   Simmer the seared meatballs in the tomato sauce until they are cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes

6.  Serve the meatballs with the tomato sauce, more Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil

Enchilado de Langosta (Lobster Creole - a Cuban recipe)

 

Enchilado de Langosta (Cuban Lobster Creole)

Ingredients 

• ▢ 4 lobster tails 
• ▢ 1/2 onion, finely diced 
• ▢ 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced 
• ▢ 1/2 green bell pepper , finely diced 
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ▢ 1 tbsp sofrito 
• ▢ 8 ounces, tomato sauce 
• ▢ 1/4 tsp sugar, optional 
• ▢ 1/2 tbsp tomato paste 
• ▢ 1/2 tsp sazon
• ▢ 1/2 tsp oregano 
• ▢ 1/2 tsp adobo
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1/2 cup water 
• ▢ oil 

Instructions 

• Begin by cutting the lobster tails in half lengthwise using a knife. Season the lobster tails with salt and pepper and set it aside. 
• In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
• Stir in the tomato paste and sofrito and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 20 seconds. 
• Add the tomato sauce, water, bay leaf, and olives. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a pinch of sugar and check for seasoning. 
• Place the lobster tails in the sauce, meat side down. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the lobster tails over and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the lobster tails are bright red and the meat is fully cooked through.