Grilled Shiitake And Tofu Banh Mi Food

PORK AND PATE BANH MI

Steps:

• For the roast pork: Combine the garlic, shallots, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, black pepper and 2 tablespoons (30 grams) water in a blender; puree until combined, about 20 seconds. Place the pork in a medium bowl, then pour the marinade over the top and massage well. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
• Heat a medium skillet on high heat and add some oil. When you see white wisps of smoke, saute the pork until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• For the pickled carrots: Combine the sugar, vinegar, salt, peppercorns and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then remove it from the heat. Add the cilantro and carrots and stir to coat them in the pickling mixture. Let stand until the carrots have softened, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Drain them well and set aside. You can make this days ahead and keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
• For the banh mi build: Combine the mayonnaise and pate in a bowl, then spread on the top and bottom of the toasted bread. Top it with the cilantro leaves, chiles, cucumber ribbons, pickled carrots and the grilled pork. There may be some leftover pork, so smash it into your mouth and enjoy while building the banh mi. Sprinkle with the soy sauce and close with the upper half of the baguette.

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.