Some may say that they’re so over, but Mike and I have been in love with banh mi since our first taste of them back in NYC. I’ve wanted to make banh mi-inspired sandwiches at home for ages, and finally did so last night. I had an idea a while back to use duck rillettes in place of the Vietnamese cold cuts I generally favor, so I had Mike whip some up from his latest batch of confit. With the rillettes made, putting together the rest of the was a breeze: I halved a baguette, sliced each half open, and slathered the insides with a Sriracha-spiked mayo. I placed them on a baking sheet and they went into a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.
While the baguettes warmed, I whisked together a little salt and vinegar, then added some radish coins, thin slices of carrot, and slivers of green chile pepper, tossing them until they were all well coated. I sliced up a cucumber and some pickled red onions as well, and set aside several sprigs of fresh cilantro to top our sandwiches. When the baguettes were just cool enough to handle, I assembled everything, spreading a layer of rillettes inside of the bread, then topping them with the cut and pickled veggies and cilantro. This was a meal that really did come together in minutes, and it was delicious. I’m eyeing the last of Mike’s pate de campagne for a future variation of this sandwich.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum. Would also be good with a little bbq pork or sliced duck breast inside as well!
Fantastic!!! You rock.
Was just thinking about them. I made “flavour bundles” wrapped in lettuce last weekend, eating them two nights in a row, and the filling would be perfection for banh mi. Idea came from Hot Sour Salty Sweet – wonderful book about SE Asia and food.
Looks like the ideal “tastes like summer, feels like spring” food. You’re getting into the groove of the non-traditional summer weather?
Fabulous, if you ask me.
At least not in my mouth.
And so totally NOT over.
LOVE. Sunday Race Day Banh Mis is a tradition in my house. YUM. I usually make a fake-five-spice blend (equal parts cinnamon, star anise, ginger, cloves, fennel and sumac in place of szechuan pepper because I always keep sumac but never szechuan pepper on hand, plus salt and pepper to taste) and toss it over some ground pork in a pan and cook it through. I’ve found that mexican bollilos are really good in place of baguettes, provided you toast them in the oven long enough.
Yum! I love mine with pate de campagne, and lots of black pepper.