Braunschweiger Banh Mi Food

SMOKED BRISKET BANH MI

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker to 225 degrees F. (See Cook's Note)
• Mix together the brown sugar, salt, cumin, granulated garlic, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper and white pepper in a large bowl.
• Trim the brisket so about 1/4-inch of fat remains. Apply the rub generously on all sides of the brisket, massaging it into the meat. Smoke the brisket until the internal temperature reaches approximately 155 degrees F, 4 to 5 hours depending on size.
• Remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by 1 layer of foil and a final layer of plastic wrap. Place in a roasting pan and continue cooking in an oven or smoker at 190 degrees F until very tender, another 16 to 18 hours. The brisket will be too tender to slice. Let cool, then refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Slice the brisket into 1/2-inch-thick slices, preferably from the lean side, and place in the Lemongrass Marinade for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• To build the sandwiches, spread some sriracha mayonnaise on the inside of the baguettes. Place some jalapenos on the bottom half of the bread and top with some brisket, scallions, pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber and cilantro.
• Mix together the sugar, cola, lemongrass, black pepper, fish sauce, salt, peanut oil, sesame oil, garlic and shallots in a large bowl.
• Mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the carrots and daikon and stir. Refrigerate overnight.

BANH MI SLAW

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned) and 1/4 cup each sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes; let cool. Combine 1 cup each shredded daikon radishes and carrots in a bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and refrigerate 30 minutes. Stir in 1 thinly sliced jalapeno and 1/2 cup cilantro.

BANH MI BURGER

Steps:

• For the patties: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pork, beef and shrimp. Do not over mix as this will cause the proteins to become sticky. Portion into four 7-ounce burger patties and refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to use.
• For the banh mi marinade: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the fish sauce and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the curry paste and whisk until it's completely broken up. Add the lime juice, ginger, turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, chile, shallot, lime leaves, basil and mint and mix well.
• For the curry aioli: Combine the mayo, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, curry powder, ginger juice, Sriracha and turmeric and whisk until smooth. Set aside and chill.
• For the nuoc mam sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and hot water until dissolved. Add the fish sauce, vinegar, garlic and chile and mix well.
• To assemble: Preheat a grill to medium to medium-high heat. Dip the patties into the banh mi marinade and grill to desired doneness. During the grilling process, continue to dip the patties in the marinade to form a flavorful crust on the outside of the patties.
• Grill or toast the buns. Next, grill the pork loaf slices about 2 minutes on each side.
• Place a burger patty on the bottom bun followed by 2 slices pork loaf. Add 1 teaspoon curry aioli, and then the carrots and daikon. Finish with the lettuce and the top bun. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve the nuoc mam on the side as a dipping sauce.

GRILLED SHIITAKE AND TOFU BANH MI

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Put the tofu between 2 plates, and weight the top plate down with about 4 pounds (3 large cans or a large, heavy skillet) for about 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.
• Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of the vinegar, 1/2 cup water, the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the carrots and cucumbers, toss to coat and chill until ready to serve.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise and Sriracha in a small bowl; set aside.
• Pat the tofu dry, and cut it into 8 1/2-inch-thick slices. Grate the garlic into a large bowl, and stir in the hoisin, the remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar and the oil. Add the mushroom caps, and stir to coat. Lightly oil the grill grates.
• Shaking off any excess marinade, put the mushroom caps on the grill. Grill them for about 1 minute, rotating them once to char more of the cap, then flip and cook until almost tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Transfer the mushrooms to a platter, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
• Toss the tofu in the marinade, then grill, marinade-side down, for 2 minutes. Flip, and grill the second side for 2 more minutes. Transfer the tofu to the platter.
• Open the rolls, and grill, cut-side down, until just toasty, about 2 minutes.
• Smear each half of a roll with 1 heaping tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Put 2 pieces of tofu on each roll, then shingle the mushrooms, overlapping slightly, on top. Top with some of the carrot-cucumber salad, drained, and a shower of cilantro leaves. Close the rolls, pressing gently. Halve them on the diagonal, and serve.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE SANDWICH: BANH MI

Steps:

• Make the slaw: In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Transfer the vinegar mixture to a bowl and cool. Add the carrot and daikon, mix well, and season with salt. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or store in the refrigerator up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make the seasoned pork: Heat the oil in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the pork, seasoning, garlic, and pepper and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the heat and set aside covered with foil to keep warm.
• Make the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the baguettes open lengthwise, and slather the insides with mayonnaise. Arrange the baguettes on a baking sheet and bake until hot and crusty about 5 minutes. Remove the baguettes from the oven and immediately fill each with some of the seasoned pork. In each sandwich, arrange 2 slices each of the pork roll and salami, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon cilantro, 1 slice cucumber, ground pepper, and chili oil, if using. Serve immediately with the slaw on the side.