Saturday 6 August 2011

Riding the Bánh mì Bandwagon

Bánh mì are having a moment right now. Or they have been for the last few years, but I am just now getting aboard the Bánh mì love train. There are only so many variations you can see on blogs, so many reviews of Bánh mì-specialist cafes and food trucks that you can read before you throw your hands in the air and cry "Enough! I will make this bloody sandwich".

But not any sandwich. This is the ultimate sandwich. It provides the most exquisite balance between crisp, soft, dry, moist, sharp and smooth. It is a sandwich developed by people who think food should be a pleasure. It is a very fine sandwich indeed.

For my Bánh mì I started with a couple of part-baked baguette (and completed the baking thereof). I applied a goodly base-layer of mayonnaise. I smeared a layer of pork pâté. I placed batons of cucumber. I added warm medallions of sweet cooked pork (following the recipe in my Spirit House cookbook). I topped with pickled beansprouts and beetroot. I applied a final garnish of coriander leaves.

Very generously filled sandwiches! But through sheer greed, I could have eaten another.


This lovely sandwich is going to Deb's Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper (soup, salad and sammie) Sunday round-up.
SouperSundays

16 comments:

leaf (the indolent cook) said...

Now you've got me craving a banh mi! Those fillings sound fabulous.

GingerSnap said...

Looks yummy! I'd never heard of Bánh mì up until now, but thanks for enlightening me! :)

Heather S-G said...

I wanna ride!!! That does sound amazing...I haven't tried one yet ☹.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Leaf - they were very good.

Gingersnap - definitely worth trying!

Heather - well, I have just tried my first torta, so you are also one up on me!

Simona Carini said...

What an interesting sandwich! I have heard about Bánh mì but never tried one.

Arlene Delloro said...

This is a banh mi I could eat. Most sound as if your head will explode from the heat (spices). Yours sound exquisitely layered with flavors.

Bettina Douglas said...

I have never heard of these either. Are they a French - Vietnamese creation?

Alicia Foodycat said...

Simona - I think you should try one!

Arlene - some of them have a LOT of chilli, this was very moderate.

Mother - in Australia I think they usually refer to them as pork rolls. All your Vietnamese bakers will sell them!

Barbara said...

Oh, that looks wonderful! Bánh mì is new to me, but when something looks (and sounds) that delicious, count me in! I wish we had food trucks here...they aren't allowed! :(

Deb in Hawaii said...

I love banh mi but I cheat and buy them rather than make them. ;-) Yours looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays. ;-)

Alicia Foodycat said...

Barbara - food trucks are only just kicking off in the UK. I mostly see them on New York and LA-based blogs!

Deb - thanks for including me in the roundup!

kat said...

Oh man that us making me crave a Banh Mi. Might have to head to the little hole in the wall that makes great ones here in town this week

wildtomato said...

Bahn mis are one of my favorite sandwiches - when I went to Vietnam, we ate them at least once a day from the food trucks. My favorite one is lemongrass grilled pork with pickled daikon and carrots, jalapenos, cucumbers, and cilantro. The Vietnamese bakeries over here make their baguettes with rice and wheat flour to give it some extra crunch.

Choclette said...

this is my first introduction to banh mi. If it means a sandwich of your favourite fillings with good bread, I'm in!

grace said...

the cilantro's the kicker for me--great touch to an awesome sandwich. sounds like you've really gotten it tweaked to perfection!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Kat - lucky you have a convenient hole in the wall!

Wild tomato - I think proper Vietnamese baguettes are a bit sweeter too.

Choclette - pretty much! Apparently you can do a great one with a tofu filling.

Grace - that sprig of coriander really does make it.

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