Cubanos

Last Year's Post:  Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Two Years Ago:    Farro and Kale Salad

This is another installment in my occasional and erratic series of famous sandwiches of the world.  Past posts have included pan bagnat, banh mi, Italian tuna, chicken schnitzel, and buffalo chicken sliders to name a few.  Cubanos originated in Florida and are made with Cuban rolls, roast pork, ham, pickles, Swiss cheese and mustard, all pressed together on a griddle or grill until warm and crisp.  Outside of Miami they also often include salami.  Although the most authentic version calls for yellow mustard, I used a combination of both whole grain and Dijon mustards for different textures and flavors.  And again although Cuban bread is authentic, you probably won't find it outside of a Mexican market in most cities.  Any soft oblong roll will work - just don't use a hard crusty French roll because it won't compress and crisp they way it should.

If you can find roast pork in the deli, that's great, otherwise plan to make Cubanos with the leftovers next time you make a pork roast or tenderloin.  Use the best quality Swiss cheese you can find, and slice everything as thinly as possible.  Placing cheese on both the top and bottom of each roll ensure the whole thing sticks together as the cheese melts.

Cubanos are like the best ham and cheese sandwich you've ever had, all crispy and warm and gooey.  There's a reason they're famous.

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Cubanos

Serves 2

2 (8 to 10”) Cuban rolls (or soft Bolillo or hoagie rolls)

4-5 ounces roast pork, leftover or purchased from the deli

4 thin slices of smoked ham

6 slices best-quality aged Swiss cheese

Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard

2 medium dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil

Preheat a Panini press or large skillet over medium heat.

Split the rolls lengthwise.  Slice the leftover pork as thinly as possible.

Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top and bottom of each roll.  Tear each piece of Swiss cheese in half and place 1 ½ slices (3 rectangles) on the bottom and top of each roll.  Layer the pork, ham and pickles on the bottom of each roll.  Close the sandwiches, pressing gently together.

Brush the top and bottom of each sandwich with softened butter or olive oil.  Place the sandwiches in the press, using moderate pressure, for about 8 minutes until crisp on both sides.  If using a skillet, use a second pan to press on the top of the sandwiches for about 4 minutes, then flip to crisp the second side.  Sandwiches should be somewhat compressed but not completely flat.

Slice sandwiches in half and serve.

Curried Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post: Leek, Bacon and Gruyere Tart
Two Years Ago:  Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Curried chicken salad was all the rage in the 80's and 90's, but then it went away for a while.  The Lawyer, who I don't think had ever tried it before, had a curried chicken salad sandwich at a restaurant recently and was raving about how good it was so I was inspired to make it this week.  Ina Garten has a classic recipe which I tweaked only slightly, primarily by substituting toasted slivered almonds for the whole cashews that she calls for.  I love cashews, but I wanted to serve the salad in sandwiches and felt the cashews would be too big.  If I made the salad and added pasta shells for a main dish I would probably use cashews instead.  I also cut down on the amount of salt she called for because I find her recipes always have too much salt.  Better to add more later if needed.

There's a reason curried chicken salad was all the rage - it's really that good, not to mention easy.  The creamy curry dressing is offset by the sweetness of the raisins and crunch from celery and nuts for a salad that's just addictive.  Serve it over green for a light lunch, stuff it in multi-grain bread for a sandwich as I did (yes there really is a piece of bread under the salad in the picture above), or add a small-sized pasta such as shells to make it a more substantial main dish salad.  However you serve it, it's the perfect salad for the first picnic of spring.

Just be sure to wait to add the nuts until right before serving so they stay crisp and crunchy.

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Curried Chicken Salad

Serves 6

Note: the salad can be served over lettuce, or in sandwiches, or small pasta may be added (such as shells) for a more substantial main dish.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, baked or poached (or equivalent rotisserie chicken meat)

¾ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons Major Grey’s chutney

1 ½ tablespoons curry powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup medium-diced celery (1 large stalk)

2 green onions, which and light green parts thinly sliced

¼ cup raisins

½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Cut the cooked chicken breasts into approximate ¾” bite-sized pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well (you may have some left over; refrigerate for later).  Add the celery, green onions and raising and mix well.  Refrigerate, covered, for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings again if needed; add a little more dressing if the salad looks dry.  Top with toasted almonds and serve.

Vietnamese Shrimp Baguette

 Last Year's Post: Sea Bass in Papillote
Two Years Ago:   Raspberry Dark Chocolate Wonton Cups

If you like Vietnamese food you're sure to love this sandwich.  Similar to a Banh Mi (the famous pork-based Vietnamese sandwich - recipe here) this sandwich is served on a crisp and light baguette and includes several vegetables for crunch.  However, instead of meat in an Asian-type barbecue sauce, this sandwich has shrimp sauteed in an immensely flavorful and moderately spicy puree made from lemongrass, garlic, vinegar, serrano pepper, ginger and cilantro.  The result is lighter but punchier than the pork version, if that makes any sense.

Ever wondered how chefs make those beautiful carrots strips?  You can buy a peeler at Bed, Bath and Beyond (and I'm sure elsewhere) with serrated edges.  All you do is run it down the carrot for perfect strips every time.

And here's another interesting thing I learned along the way - the sushi chef at my local grocer informed me that the pink pickled ginger you can buy in jars is "the cheap stuff" and that sushi chefs use white pickled ginger (shown below on the upper left).  He sold me a small container of his secret stash.  Ask the next sushi chef you run across if you're interested, or you can find white pickled ginger in jars at some natural foods stores.

I find myself on the slippery slope of spiciness again.  Just how spicy is "moderately spicy"?  Enough so you notice some heat, but not enough to make your lips burn. And not enough to cover up the other flavors in the sandwich.  The original recipe that I adapted called for a bird's eye chile, which I couldn't find so I decided to substitute a serrano chile instead. Then I did a little research to figure out how they compare in heat.  I found this very handy chart that lists the heat level of pretty much every pepper you can think of, and was surprised to find that bird's eye chiles are quite a bit hotter than a serrano.  I think I'm glad I didn't find the bird's eye chile.

The sauce on the shrimp has bold flavors but the carrots, radishes, pickled ginger and cilantro all add flavor complexity and crunch as well.  The mayonnaise tones things down and adds creaminess, and of course there's that great crisp baguette.  All in all, I would call this one of the great sandwiches right up there with the Banh Mi.

printable recipe

Vietnamese Shrimp Baguettes

Makes 2 sandwiches

  

8 ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp, tail shells removed

10 cilantro stems, divided

2 cloves garlic

1 serrano chile, stem cut off

2-3” lemongrass stalk

5-6 thin slices fresh ginger

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ carrot, cut into thin matchsticks

2 tablespoons pickled ginger, chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

4 radishes, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 small baguettes

Chop the shrimp and set aside.

In a small food processor, combine 8 stems of cilantro, the garlic, chile with seeds, lemongrass, fresh ginger, fish sauce and rice vinegar and puree.  Toss the puree with the chopped shrimp.

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high and add the oil, then add the shrimp mixture and cook, turning several times, for about 4 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Split the baguettes and spread with mayonnaise.  Stuff with the shrimp and top with carrot, pickled ginger, green onion, radishes, and the leaves of the remaining 2 cilantro stems.

Muffuletta

Last Year's Post:  Breakfast Sandwiches with Canadian Bacon, Chipotle Cheddar and Guacamole
Two Years Ago:   Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

I love a good sandwich so much that I've decided to occasionally post great sandwiches from around the world such as Italian tuna sandwich, banh mi, pan bagnat, and chicken gyros.  The Muffuletta is arguably one of the most famous sandwiches in the United States, originating with Italian immigrants in New Orleans. The term "muffuletta" refers both to the round loaf of bread, and to the sandwich itself.  And what a sandwich - a signature olive relish plus thick layers of provolone, mortadella and hot soppressata, all pressed together to make a cohesive whole.  When you bite into a wedge (the biggest challenge is actually getting your mouth around it) you get tastes of creamy cheese, hot sausage, salty olives, crunchy veggies and olive oil that has soaked into the bread, keeping it moist and delicious.

This is an indulgent sandwich.  As a matter of fact, I felt guilty enough the day I made it that I spent extra time on the treadmill and then tried to eat very slowly and mindfully, savoring what I knew was going to be an infrequent treat prefaced and followed by days of salads.  (Doesn't mindful eating counteract at least some of the calories?  Sort of like drinking Diet Coke with pizza, one of my favorite irrational rationalizations.)

You could, of course, cut down on the meats, cheese and olive oil, and serve the sandwich on thin-sliced bread  if you wanted an approximation of the tastes with less guilt.  But I wanted to try the real deal.  The sacrifices I make in the name of culinary curiosity.

First is the bread:  a round, slightly flatted loaf of soft Italian white bread with a slightly crisp crust, typically with sesame seeds on top.  I couldn't find the exact right loaf but found a very close approximation at my grocery store that was labeled "sheepherder bread".  Why they are making sheepherder bread for mass consumption is another question for which I have no answer, but it worked - the only thing missing was the sesame seeds.  Basically any 6-8" round white loaf will work, as long as it doesn't have a really hard crust.

Next is the olive relish.  First you briefly cook cauliflower, carrots and celery in olive oil and spices, then you combine that mixture with green and black olives, pepperoncini, and pimentos.  My suggestion is to head to your local salad bar because you need relatively small amounts of the cauliflower, carrots and celery, plus every store has an olive bar these days.

Next up is the filling:  provolone cheese (easy to find), mortadella (sort of like Italian bologna, harder to find in a grocery store but still possible), and hot soppressatta (a hot salami, difficult to find - I finally found some at my local Italian market).  If you're either the type of person who either a) enjoys these culinary treasure hunts, or b) wants to try an authentic version of the recipe, it's worth the effort.  Otherwise, you could substitute other Italian meats such as bologna and hot salami from the deli case.

The final part is assembly and squishing (yes, squishing).  The olive relish goes on both cut and hollowed-out bread halves to make sure the dressing soaks into the top and bottom of the sandwich.  (This is important but slightly problematic as you'll see in a minute.)   The cheese and meats are layered on the bottom half, then you're supposed to "carefully" place the top on the bottom.  With a million little olive relish pieces falling out all over.  Right.  My solution was to place one layer of soppressata on the top half and the rest on the bottom half, so the olive relish on the top was at least covered.  Then you quickly flip the top over onto the bottom half.  This takes commitment and, once started, there's no going back.  But it did work.

And now for the squishing - wrap the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap and weigh it down with a cast iron skillet (or just gently press down on it occasionally) for at least an hour or up to overnight.  The recipe doesn't specify to refrigerate it at this point, and I would assume that leaving it out for an hour or two would be perfectly fine, but for any time longer than that I would refrigerate it.  The squishing and standing time  allows the sandwich to become a cohesive whole which will cut beautifully as you can see by the picture.  So, make the sandwich in the morning and you have the perfect take-along loaf for you and three friends for your next concert in the park.   Just make sure you work out first.

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Muffuletta

Serves 4

Note:  this recipe requires at least an hour of standing time after assembly so plan ahead.

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ medium carrot, thinly sliced

½ rib celery, thinly sliced

½ cup finely chopped cauliflower

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

½ cup pitted green olives, finely chopped

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, finely chopped

5 pepperoncini, stemmed and thinly sliced

2 jarred pimento peppers, finely chopped

6-8” round Italian loaf with sesame seeds, split horizontally and hollowed out

4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese

5 ounces thinly sliced mortadella

5 ounces thinly sliced hot soppressata

Prepare the relish:  Combine the olive oil, carrot, celery, cauliflower, oregano, chile flakes and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and simmer until the vegetables are not quite tender, about 4 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and add the vinegar, olives, pepperoncini and pimento peppers.  Stir to combine.

To assemble the sandwich, divide the olive relish between the top and bottom half of the bread, including liquids.  Layer the provolone, mortadella and hot soppressata on the bottom half, making sure none of the meat or cheese extends over the sides of the bread.  Place the last few pieces of meat on the top half of the bread to cover the olive relish,  then quickly and decisively turn the top half over onto the bottom half, replacing any stray relish pieces than may have fallen out.  Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, then weight it down with a cast iron skillet or gently press on the top of the sandwich occasionally with your hands.  Let stand for at least an hour or up to overnight, refrigerating after an hour.

Cut into four wedges to serve.

Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Radicchio Panini

Last Year's Post: Classic Potato Gratin
Two Years Ago:  French Chicken Salad

We went to an outdoor concert the other day and wanted to bring a picnic dinner.  I was inspired to make these Italian sandwiches because they have a most interesting combinations of flavors - definitely a big people kind of sandwich - and it's always good to get out of a sandwich rut.  The prosciutto is salty, the radicchio and arugula are bitter, the balsamic vinegar is sweet, the mozzarella is creamy, and the artichokes are, well, artichokes.  Trust me, it all works together.  The original recipe called it a panini although it wasn't grilled, just served fresh.  In my book paninis are grilled, which has the advantage of sort of gluing the whole sandwich together with cheese.  Otherwise there are a lot of little pieces in the sandwich which could easily fall out.  But, if you don't want to grill the sandwich you certainly don't have to.

Radicchio is that little round red guy in the produce department that sort of looks like a small cabbage.  Marinating it in balsamic vinegar for a few minutes while you assemble the sandwiches takes away some of the bitterness.

After prepping the artichokes and mozzarella, it's just simple assembly and grilling the sandwiches.

Paninis are always delicious hot off the press, but these sandwiches were equally good wrapped up and enjoyed at the concert.  Picnic food!

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Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Radicchio Panini

Makes 6 sandwiches

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ head radicchio

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

Two 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

8 ounces baby arugula

12 slices from a loaf of ciabatta bread

Olive oil spray

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive and balsamic vinegar.  Season with a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Slice the radicchio into thin ribbons.  Add to the vinaigrette and toss together.  Set aside to marinate.

Lay the bread out on a work surface and spray lightly with olive oil spray.  Turn the slices over and layer half the slices in the following order:  prosciutto, artichokes, and mozzarella slices.  Add the parsley leaves to the radicchio mixture, toss to combine, and place on top of the mozzarella.  Finish with the arugula and top with the remaining bread slices, olive oil side up.

Heat a Panini press and grill until the cheese melts and the bread is toasty and golden, about 3-5 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

33 Recipes for Hot Summer Days

Slow Cooker Indonesian Brown Sugar Chicken

Last Year's Post: Shrimp Fried Rice
Two Years Ago:   Farm Stand Salad

I had an inspiration a few months ago when I was browsing food websites and came across a compilation of slow cooker recipes for summer. The author explained that the slow cooker is great for summertime meals because it doesn't heat up your house and you don't have to go outside to grill when it's really too hot even for diehards like The Lawyer.  That made sense to me, but the key seemed to be selecting slow cooker meals that were lighter than, say, your favorite tailgating chili recipe or a big old meatloaf.  Summer slow cooker recipes should (in my humble opinion) be reasonably light and able to be eaten not only as-they-are, straight out of the cooker, but also as an ingredients in the foods of summer like tacos, sandwiches or salads.  Having given myself those criteria as my marching orders, I spent the next few months trying recipes to come up with a list, albeit short, of slow cooker recipes for summer.

And while I was at it, I wanted to add a list of other salads, entrees and sandwiches that I've posted previously that are particularly appropriate for the hottest days where you can do what little cooking that might be needed:
a)in advance (earlier in the day or week before it gets bad)
b) in a small appliance that doesn't heat the house (like a panini press), or
c)not at all.

I hope you find something you want to try, and stay cool!

Abbreviations:
NCR = no cooking required
IA  = cook in advance
SA   = cook in small appliance

Slow Cooker
Char Siu Chicken
Turkey and Gruyere French Dip
Slow Cooker Indonesian Brown Sugar Chicken  (Pictured above)

Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken

Salads and Other Entrees
Summer Salad with Nuts, Fruit and Cheese  NCR
Chicken Pasta Salad with Fresh Herbs and Corn  IA
Wild Rice Salad  IA
Broccoli, Cabbage and Brussels Spout Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette NCR
Very Lemon Chicken and Fruited Couscous IA
Spinach Salad with Spicy Orange Dressing NCR
Tabbouleh and Greek Chicken IA
Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews IA
Pesto Pasta with Spinach, Edamame and Almonds IA
Farm Stand Salad IA
Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Tuna IA
Gazpacho IA
Seafood Cobb Salad IA 
Shrimp, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad IA
French Chicken Salad IA
Orzo and Radicchio Salad IA
Grilled Shrimp with Cucumber Horseradish Dipping Sauce IA
Farro, Kale & Smoked Mozzarella Salad IA
Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad NCR
Watermelon Gazpacho NCR
Lentil Salad with Bacon and Walnuts IA
Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad IA
Spinach Strawberry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette  IA

Sandwiches
Smoked Turkey Apple Panini  SA
Pan Bagnat IA
Grilled Cheese with Pesto, Spinach and Avocado SA
Banh Mi IA
Smoked Turkey, Kale and Blue Cheese Sandwiches IA
Italian Tuna Sandwich (No Mayo) NCR

Italian Tuna Sandwich (No Mayo)

Last Year's Post:  Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf with Tomato Herb Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Pork Tenderloin with Port and Dried Cherry Sauce

I love a tuna sandwich with mayonnaise, but making it with heart-healthy olive oil is a better option and more authentically Mediterranean.  The Italian flavors continue in this sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, capers, lemon and fresh thyme. The lemon and thyme really shine through every bite, with the other ingredients adding pops of flavor.

It's very flavorful even without cheese, but I added some cheddar anyway because I love the taste of cheddar in a tuna sandwich.  You can choose to keep it in or leave it out according to your taste.

An advantage of substituting olive oil for mayonnaise is that you can make the sandwich in advance and don't need to worry if it sits out for a little while at work or on a picnic, plus it's lower in calories. You could also serve the tuna salad in a hollowed-out tomato or over greens if you want to cut even more calories.

You've probably noticed that nearly all the canned tuna in the stores these days is packed in water.  The advantage is that it's cheaper and lower in calories and fat than oil-packed tuna; the disadvantage is that it has less flavor.  So, you decide what's most important for your particular meal - calories or flavor.  I wanted this sandwich to be special so I used an oil-packed tuna, but I often use water-packed tuna for other recipes.

As a direct result of making this particular meal I have one word of advice.  When you open your tuna cans (or any other cans, for that matter), carefully stick the lids back into the cans with no jagged edges protruding before you put the cans in the trash, preferably upside-down.  Not that I would ever fail to follow such a simple safety precaution.

printable recipe
Italian Tuna Sandwich

Serves 4

4 sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup onion, minced

1 rib celery, chopped

¼ cup pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

12 ounces solid white albacore tuna in water, drained

Salt and pepper

Leaf lettuce

4 slices Cheddar cheese (optional)

4 Kaiser or other sandwich rolls

Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with hot water in a bowl.  Set aside until soft, about 20 minutes, then drain, chop and place in a medium bowl.  To mellow the minced onion, soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well, pat dry, and add to the tomatoes.

Add the celery, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and thyme leaves to the bowl and mix well.  Add the tuna, breaking it into chunks with a fork, then toss everything together gently so you don’t break up the tuna chunks.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  To serve, place a leaf of lettuce on each sandwich roll bottom and top with tuna salad, optional cheddar cheese, and the sandwich top.  Squeeze the sandwich together gently.  If not eating immediately, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Sloppy Joes for Grownups

Last year's post:Lasagna Techniques

Until I found this recipe a few years ago, I hadn't had Sloppy Joes probably since grade school although I understand they're one of the most popular sandwiches around.  I've never been a fan of ground beef with a "can of something" stirred in, but this recipe is entirely different and so good. It has southwestern influences from green chiles, ancho and chipotle powders plus (a trick borrowed from pulled pork BBQ sandwiches) coleslaw right in the sandwich.  Having grown up in the Midwest, when I heard about BBQ sandwiches with coleslaw served on top rather than on the side I thought that was the strangest thing I had ever heard.  A couple of BBQ-loving southern co-workers persuaded me to try it at lunch one day on a road trip, and I've been hooked ever since.  Like many great dishes, it's the contrast of textures, temperatures and flavors that makes it work.  In this case, the cool and crunchy coleslaw contrasts with the rich, warm meat mixture, oozy cheese and toasty bun perfectly. And if that's not enough, it fits in a healthy diet because it's made with lean turkey.

I thought it was particularly interesting that the coleslaw doesn't have any mayonnaise in the dressing - just honey, cilantro, seasoning and lime juice.  It gives the coleslaw a clean taste that's very appealing.  (If you're a cilantro-hater, just substitute parsley instead.) 

If you're not familiar with ancho and chipotle, they're types of chile powders. (Whole chipotle peppers - actually smoke-dried jalapenos - can also be found canned in adobo sauce in the grocery aisle, or dried in the produce section.) Ancho has a rich warm flavor without being hot, and chipotle is very smoky and slightly hot.  If you can't find them in your grocery store you could order them at www.penzeys.com (my favorite spice resource) or you could substitute regular chile powder, but it won't be quite the same.  As written, the recipe is what I would consider to be slightly spicy but it's tamed by the coleslaw.  You can adjust the chile amounts (particularly the chipotle) up or down to your taste.

You want to use sturdy, over-sized buns for this sandwich such as kaiser rolls or ciabatta buns (not soft squishy hamburger buns) for two reasons.  First, a soft hamburger bun can quickly become soggy.  And second, using an over-sized bun allows you to hollow out the top and bottom to securely enclose the filling without it spilling all over.  The Neat Freak in me likes that part. 

While I was reading the recipe and came to ketchup as an ingredient I had to smile because it brings back a great childhood memory of my brother.  When he was around 2 years old he put ketchup on just about everything he ate.  I was watching him eat one time and he stuck a pickle spear in his ketchup and took a bite.  I was appalled on several levels and told him with all the superiority a 7 year old can muster that "we (meaning any sane child) do not eat pickles, much less pickles with ketchup".  Without any change in expression, he calmly stuck his pickle in the ketchup again and took another bite, never taking his eyes off me.  He was a difficult child.  At that point his only redeeming feature in my eyes was that he was the same approximate size as one of my dolls.  My sister and I would dress him up in doll clothes when our mom wasn't looking and then fall on the floor laughing. Good thing he doesn't read my blog or I'd be in big trouble for telling that story.  I know for a fact that he doesn't read my blog because I don't think he's ever cooked anything that didn't come out of a microwave in his entire life.  If he had been born 100 years earlier he probably would have starved to death.

Anyway, try the Sloppy Joes........if for no other reason than that they're a great excuse to eat potato chips.  :-)

click here for a printable recipe

Sloppy Joes for Grown Ups

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb ground turkey

½ cup onion, chopped

½ cup ketchup

1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chiles

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tsp Dijon or yellow mustard

1 tsp ground cumin

¾ tsp ancho chile powder

¼ tsp chipotle chile powder

salt to taste

4 slices cheddar cheese

4 kaiser rolls or ciabatta buns

For the honey lime coleslaw:

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

salt and cayenne pepper to taste

4 cups coleslaw mix

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

To make the coleslaw, combine all ingredients and set aside.

Preheat broiler to high; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the turkey and onion and sauté for about five minutes, until the turkey is cooked through.  Drain.  Stir in ketchup, green chiles, brown sugar, mustard and spices; simmer five minutes.

Meanwhile, split the rolls and hollow out the tops and bottoms by removing some of the bread crumbs.  

Place the tops and bottoms on the baking sheet and divide the turkey mixture between the bottoms.  Top the turkey mixture with the cheese slices and place the baking sheet under the broiler.  Broil, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted and the bun tops are toasted.  To serve, spoon coleslaw onto each sandwich, replace the bun tops and press gently to close.

Banh Mi

Last year's post:  Special Dinner - Chicken Gruyere and Fig in Puff Pastry

This is an installment in my "famous sandwiches of the world" occasional and erratic series.  Banh Mi (banh mee) is a famous Vietnamese sandwich with distinct French influence.  I'm a Banh Mi fanatic and search it out at restaurants wherever I go, so I've had plenty of experience with great and less-than-great examples.  At its best, it's a sublime combination of flavors and textures.  It's deceptive because the assembled sandwich seems pretty simple, but it's the quality, preparation (and proportions) of the individual ingredients that makes all the difference.

The essential ingredients of a Banh Mi sandwich are as follow:  a light, crisp french roll or baguette, mayonnaise, meat (char siu pork is common), pickled carrots and daikon radish, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeno.  Some traditional Banh Mi also include pate but I decided against it to make the sandwich lighter and because a lot of people don't like pate. Banh Mi can also be made with roast pork, chicken, or even tofu if you so desire.  The reason why I like Banh Mi so much is the interplay of flavors and textures - crisp bread, creamy mayo, rich meat, crunchy tart vegetables, and the warmth of the jalapenos.  Interestingly, the jalapenos don't taste very hot at all even though they're raw - I think it's partially because they're seeded and partially because of all the other ingredients.  You can spice it up further by adding some Sriracha sauce, one of the uber-trendy ingredients you see in restaurants these days.  Sriracha is a hot chili sauce from Thailand that's closely associated with Vietnamese foods, and readily available in the Asian aisle of your grocery store.  I like to serve it on the table so each person can add it to their liking.

Daikon radish is the other unusual ingredient - a very large, white Asian radish that can be found in most grocery stores.  It resembles a giant carrot in shape.  Because they're so big, I bought one that was just a partial and it was plenty.  It's crunchy but very mild compared to regular radishes.  The taste somewhat reminds me of jicama, if that's at all helpful.

Since we had invited friends for dinner and they had never had Banh Mi sandwiches before, I decided to go all out and even made homemade mayonnaise.

You certainly don't have to do that, but I included a recipe here in case you want to (it's actually very easy).  I made char siu pork a day in advance in a slow cooker, then brought it to room temperature over very low heat the next day.  (Be sure to drain the meat for a moment before adding it to the sandwich or you'll end up with a pretty messy sandwich.)

Finally, I made the carrot and daikon pickles an hour in advance and sliced the fresh ingredients. That's what makes Banh Mi so great for entertaining - all the ingredients can be made in advance and the sandwich is served at room temperature.

A note about the bread - Vietnamese baguette is light and crisp, not chewy or rustic.  If you don't have a local Vietnamese bakery you can use any petite or regular baguette you find that doesn't have a hard crust and isn't heavy.  And about the meat - Banh Mi sandwiches usually contain meat with relatively strong flavor as a balance to the vegetables, but you can use any leftover meat you want.  As I mentioned, I chose to make Char Siu Pork but I think roast pork or shredded Char Siu Chicken (which I posted previously) would also be excellent. Finally, proportions are important - go lighter on the meat and heavier on the veggies than in a normal sandwich - no more than 50% meat compared to the vegetables.

click here for a printable recipe

Banh Mi

serves 4

½ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup water

¼ cup white sugar

1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks

1/3 daikon radish, cut into thin matchsticks

4 petit baguette rolls or a long baguette, cut into four  pieces (the bread should be light and crisp, not chewy or rustic)
Mayonnaise (good quality purchased or homemade*)
Your choice of Char Siu Pork*, roast pork, cooked chicken, or tofu, sliced and at room temperature
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced

4 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and cut into thin rings

Sriracha sauce

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

Slit the bread lengthwise, and then use your fingers or a bread knife to hollow out the insides, making a trough in both halves. Generously spread the inside with mayonnaise. Layer in the cucumber slices, meat, carrot and radish, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno rings.  Note: go sparingly on the meat; the vegetables should be 50% or more of the filling.

Serve with Sriracha sauce to be added to the sandwich by each diner as desired.

* See recipes at the links above in the blog post

Turkey and Gruyere French Dip

French Dip Au Jus is a classic sandwich normally made with beef.  This is a twist on the classic that has melted Gruyere and spinach in addition to tender turkey served with a delicious onion dipping sauce.

Although the recipe starts by cooking a turkey breast in a slow cooker, I'm publishing this post now because many of you probably have leftover turkey in your refrigerator at the moment.  This is a great way to use some of the turkey - just buy and prepare a packet of french onion soup as the dipping sauce.  Or make it even easier by buying a container of french onion soup at a local soup and salad bar.  I love turkey enough that I make this any time of the year and the slow cooker method ensures the turkey is moist and tender every time.  (Another recipe idea for leftover turkey: Wild Rice Salad )

As with many classic recipes, it's the combination of flavors and textures that makes a French Dip great - crisp french roll, rich meat, and flavorful dipping sauce that infuses everything with onion flavor.  This version is just that much better with the cheese and spinach.  Cheese makes pretty much anything better in my opinion. The baguette is briefly toasted under the broiler to melt the cheese, which also makes the bread nice and crisp. You could also certainly make this recipe by substituting leftover thin sliced roast beef or pork.

For those of you who didn't take high school French, you might not know that "au jus" actually means with juices.  Don't ask me why the name French Dip au Jus is half English and half French.  I decided to simplify and leave the au jus part off altogether.

Not only did I take French for a few years in high school, I took two ill-fated semesters of Russian in college (the second semester is the only class I've ever actually dropped out of) and a couple years of Spanish to complete my college language requirement.  All I remember as a sum total of all those years is Si, Da, Nyet, Oui, and Au Jus.   Augh.

 click here for a printable recipe

Turkey and Gruyere French Dip

Serves 6

Note:  if using leftover roast turkey, just purchase French onion soup as the dipping sauce.

 For the turkey:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (3-pound) bone-in turkey breast

For the sandwiches:

6 individual (demi) French baguettes, sliced in half lengthwise
2-3 cups fresh baby spinach
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 slices Gruyere cheese

For the turkey: in a small mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and fresh herbs.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.  Spread the chopped onions over the bottom of a slow cooker.  Pour the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker.  Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper, then slather it with herb butter, spreading half under the skin.  Place the turkey on top of the onions, breast side up.  Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours, checking the temperature after 4 hours. Once the internal temperature reaches 170d, remove the turkey from the slow cooker, transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing the skin and slicing thinly.

Remove the juices and onions from the slow cooker and keep warm as a dipping sauce.

For the sandwiches:  preheat the broiler.  Brush each cut side of the baguettes with softened butter and place on a baking sheet, buttered side up.  Top one side of each baguette with 2 cheese slices.  Place under the broiler until the cheese melts.  Remove from the oven and place a layer of spinach and turkey on the other half of each baguette.  Close the sandwich and serve with dipping sauce on the side.