Category Archives: Sandwich

Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

October 19, 2012

I found this delectable sandwich during my hunt for dairy-free recipes. I didn’t get around to trying it until just recently. But I wish I hadn’t waited. It was insanely delicious. If you’re not familiar with the bahn mi, essentially it’s just a Vietnamese sandwich. “Bahn mi” literally means bread or baguette, which, as I just learned, was introduced to the country by French colonists. The chewy-soft rolls are commonly filled with meat, picked vegetables, cilantro, and finished with a spicy mayo. This version is stuffed with plump pork meatballs, along with the traditional fixings. The meatballs were warm and juicy, bursting with basil, garlic, and chili flavors- the perfect contrast to the sweet pickled carrot and radish and creamy hot mayonnaise. If you want to lighten things up, try using ground chicken or turkey. And if you’re feeling extra lazy, you could simply use thinly sliced or shredded roasted chicken breast- you’ll still have an awesome sandwich.

Pork Meatball Bahn Mi

INGREDIENTS

Pork Meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork (or chicken or turkey)
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sambal oelek or sriracha)
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:
2 cups carrot, coarsely grated or julienned
2 cups daikon (japanese radish) or regular radish and/or cucumber, coarsely grated or julienned
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sesame oil

Hot Chili Mayonnaise:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4+ french rolls or pieces sliced baguette
cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced (if you didn’t pickle it)
jalapeno, thinly sliced into rings (optional, I’ve used pickled jalapeno as well)
fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the meatballs: Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl and form into 1-inch meatballs (should yield about 24). Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

2. To prepare the pickled vegetables: In a medium bowl dissolve sugar in rice vinegar and season with kosher salt. Toss with carrot, daikon, and onion. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour (or refrigerate if made farther in advance).

3. To prepare the hot chili mayonnaise: Stir to combine mayonnaise, green onion, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made up to a day ahead of time.)

4. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You may want to divide the meatballs up and cook them in two batches.) Add meatballs and saute until browned and cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat if the meatballs are browning too quickly. (Already cooked meatballs can be kept warm on a baking sheet in a 300 F oven.)

5. To assemble the sandwiches: Slice rolls in half and remove enough bread out of the center so you have a 1/2-inch thick shell. Spread with hot chili mayo. Arrange cucumber, jalapeno (optional), and cilantro on the bottom halves. Top with meatballs and pickled vegetables and serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Pineapple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

March 7, 2012

This was the main event in our family dinner Sunday. Something I could throw together the night before and have on the table with the littlest of effort the next day. My sister declared it her favorite pulled pork ever. And I’d have to agree that the flavors here are pretty perfect. Just a bit smokey. Ever-so-slightly sweet. Even spicy if you up the pepper flakes (I was conservative in this regard because baby-on-the-way doesn’t appreciate heat). Served with this salad and these sweet potatoes.

Pineapple Pulled Pork Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

3-4 lbs. pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 2-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (or more to taste)
20 oz. can crushed pineapple

soft wheat sandwich rolls, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large slower cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until tender.

2. Remove the pork from the liquid and let the liquid cool before skimming the fat off the top. Meanwhile, remove the bones and gristle and shred the pork with two forks. Return the pork and some of the juices to the slower cooker to keep rewarm. Serve on soft wheat sandwich rolls.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking)

Grilled Turkey Burgers with Smoky Aioli

August 15, 2011

Yes, I’ve shared this one before. But it’s hands down one of my favorite burgers and I decided it deserved a better picture and a second debut. I’m not usually big on putting mayonnaise on anything. Call me a mustard girl. But when you take that mayo, add a little lemon and garlic (and in this case some fabulous spices) and call it aioli, it’s exponentially more appealing. For the juiciest turkey burger I recommend pure ground turkey thigh. And for buttery, soft, and fluffy hamburger rolls (that you’ll want to eat with everything– not just your burger) try this recipe.

8/29/10: This is no girly turkey burger. There’s nothing light or wimpy about it. (OK, it is made with ground turkey breast or thigh, which is much leaner than beef, but you’ll see what I mean.) Because it’s smothered in a blanket of sharp Cheddar cheese and then topped with a dollop of smokey aioli (a spiced mayonnaise-garlic blend). And then there’s tender charred red peppers and onions, peppery arugula, and a soft brioche bun. This is a killer dinner. Thank you Bon Appetit, for making my taste buds sing!

Grilled Turkey Burgers with Smoky Aioli

INGREDIENTS

Smoky Aioli:
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground corinader
3/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb. ground turkey breast or thigh
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
4 thick slices red onion
1 large red bell pepper, quartered
4 slices sharp white cheddar cheese (I used smoked cheddar)
4 whole wheat burger buns
arugula or spring mix

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the aioli, whisk to combine the spices, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the turkey and 2 Tbsp. of the aioli. Form into four evenly sized patties.Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Brush onions and peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and slightly charred on each side.

5. Grill turkey burgers, topping with the cheese before they are done cooking to allow the cheese to melt. Place on a bun and top with peppers, onions, smokey aioli, and arugula.

Makes 4 burgers.

(Adapted from Bon Appetit)

Smoked Gouda Turkey Burgers

June 10, 2011

I’ve been making turkey burgers for quite some time and usually opt for ground breast. (Since it’s the leanest, healthiest, etc.) But without some add-ins and careful cooking, breast meat can turn out flavorless and dry. Most recipes call for spices or herbs or aromatics (such as onion and garlic) to be mixed into the patties. But not this one. So to ensure a tender juicy burger I decided to try something new. And I discovered turkey thigh.

I found ground turkey thigh on my trip to Whole Foods. (I’m not sure how readily available it is at local grocery stores.) Turkey thigh is considered “dark meat”. Don’t let that term turn you off. The red color of the meat comes from the myoglobin protein found in muscles that are used for sustained activities (such as walking). So basically, the dark meat has gotten more exercise. In contrast, the white meat/muscle is used for short bursts of activity such as flying (which cooped up birds don’t do much of).

Dark meat does have a higher fat content, but not significantly so (and still dramatically less than lean cuts of beef). It also has a higher concentration of certain vitamins and minerals. And it tastes better. I was shocked by how rich and juicy these turkey patties turned out. Topped with melted Gouda, charred red onions, and a honey-Dijon spread they were one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.

Note: When you are shopping, make sure to purchase meat that is labeled “ground turkey breast” or “ground turkey thigh”. If it simply says “ground turkey” then it likely contains bits of skin and other turkey parts in addition to the breast and/or thigh.

Smoked Gouda Turkey Burgers

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground turkey (I used ground turkey thigh)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rings
4 slices smoked Gouda
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
4 whole wheat or light brioche hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Form turkey into four patties. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle red onion with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir to combine mustards and honey.

2.  Grill burgers until the juices run clear and onions until slightly charred and softened. Place cheese on the burgers several minutes before they are done cooking to allow it to melt. Place burgers on hamburger buns, top with red onions, spread with honey mustard, and serve.

Makes 4 burgers.

(Adapted from Food and Wine)

Cherry Chicken Salad

May 7, 2010

I practically wrote a book the first time I published this post, so I’ll be concise today. This chewy and crunchy cherry chicken salad is still a favorite! This time I swapped red onion for the celery (because I didn’t have any), but I suggest including both. I went with Greek yogurt in place of half of the mayo (cutting out a significant number of calories) and it still tasted great! Definitely a clever healthy trick you should try!

Isn’t it strange how we form such strong aversions to particular foods when we are children, and then one day we realize how much we’d been missing out on? Why did I detest ketchup as a kid, and why wouldn’t I touch refried beans? Who knows, because I don’t think I actually ever tried them. It was the idea of them that turned me off. Sometimes I think we’re told what to do and how to behave so often when we’re young that, when it comes to food, we try to win back control by being stubborn and picky eaters. (Because no one can actually force us to eat something, and how do they know what we like!?) I’ll bet I actually wanted to put ketchup on my french fries once and a while, but unfortunately wanted even more to be opinionated/different… so it was with a plethora of foods I never experienced. Of course we don’t realize this when we’re young. Hindsight being 20/20, I sure wish I’d given a chance to half of the dishes I stuck up my nose at.

Luckily, one day (several years ago) I woke up (it may have been a more gradual transformation, but this is the way I remember it) and I was tired of being picky. Or maybe I was tired of eating the same boring thing every day. No matter how I arrived at this point, I’m grateful I got here. I’m not afraid anymore. (Sometimes we’re too afraid we’ll dislike something to even try it. How wimpy is that?) I’m no longer hesitant to try new things, and more importantly, not fearful of finding out that I genuinely do hate something. But the fantastic part is, those occasions are rare.

For some reason I had the notion that I didn’t like chicken salad. Now I’ve collected a whole stack of chicken salad recipes, because I can’t seem to get enough. This recipe became an instant favorite! Chewy and crunchy, sweet and salty, creamy and crisp. Incredible served on my freshly griddled Whole Wheat English Muffins.

I regret my picky days. (When Dustin met me I told him seafood was gross, and now I crave it, love it!) We’re only alive so long and can only eat so much. I wish I’d spent those years with a more open mind, but alas I’m playing catch-up now; a (formerly) culinarily self-deprived young lady working her way through a world of exquisite tastes.

Cherry Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or half mayonnaise, half plain Greek yogurt)
1 Tbsp. buttermilk (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
1/2 cup apple. cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve as a sandwich or over a bed of greens.

Serves 2-4.

(Adapted from All Recipes)