Banh mi
Ingredients
- 4 Vietnamese banh mi baguettes, 12 inches each
- 1 lb pork shoulder, thinly sliced against the grain
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 2 cups daikon radish, julienned
- 2 cups carrots, julienned
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
- 4 oz pâté (or liverwurst), room temperature
Instructions
- Make quick-pickled vegetables: combine daikon and carrots in a bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt, pour over vegetables, set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Marinate pork: whisk together fish sauce, honey, minced garlic, and Sriracha in a bowl, add pork slices and coat evenly, let sit 10 minutes.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or wok to high heat (450°F), add 1 tbsp butter and let it foam, work in batches to avoid crowding, sear pork slices 1-2 minutes per side until caramelized and cooked through, transfer to a plate.
- Slice baguettes lengthwise and hollow out slightly to prevent sogginess, brush interior with remaining 1 tbsp softened butter and toast cut-side down in the same skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Spread mayonnaise on the top half of each baguette and pâté on the bottom half, divide caramelized pork evenly among the four sandwiches, layering it down the length.
- Top pork with pickled vegetables (drain excess liquid), scatter cilantro leaves and jalapeño slices over each sandwich, season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
- Press sandwiches gently together, wrap tightly in parchment paper for 2 minutes to allow flavors to meld, slice diagonally in half, and serve immediately while bread is still warm and crispy.
Inspired by Christian Gill’s winning banh mi. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.