Lest I forget

Back in 2009 the focus of this blog was on food. My daughters were recently married, so phone calls seeking recipes were not uncommon. After a year or so, "it's on the blog" became a more frequent response ... or "I'll put it on the blog."

Eventually, Meliss put many of the recipes into book form ...

with this acknowledgement ...

These days, new "recipes" happen (and I use the term "recipe" as loosely as I measure). Thus it was last night that I texted my daughters with news about the latest "recipe" and promised to put it here ...

Bahn Mi my way (for two)

Slice one pork tenderloin into 1" thick steaks and marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours using this Food Netwrok inspired concoction:

2 Tbs soy sauce or tamari

2 Tbs grated fresh ginger (or tubular minced ginger)

1-2 Tbs ginger chile sauce

1 clove of garlic, grated or minced

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbs light brown sugar

Feel free to change quantities and/or add other ingredients (fish sauce, red pepper flakes, lemongrass ... whatever)

Prep sandwich fillings while meat is being grilled to medium rare-ish (pink in the middle, charred on the outside)

Cilantro leaves (lots)

Matchstick carrots

Thin slices of cucumber (seedless)

Thin slices of poblano or jalapeño 

Whisk together a dressing

2 Tbs garlic chile sauce

1 Tbs fresh ginger

Sesame oil to taste

Cut 3 soft crusty rolls in half and pull out some of the middle (to make room for sandwich filling)

Lightly coat with mayo and griddle until lightly toasted.

Dress with a little more mayo.

Thinly slice half the pork (reserve the rest for leftovers ... to be served on coconut rice with more of the aforementioned toppings plus chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut)

Fill one half of each roll with cucumber and cilantro, fill the other half with carrots and chili peppers. Top with pork slices and drizzle with chili/ginger/sesame dressing to taste. Fold halves together and attempt to eat neatly (good luck with that).

Particularly good with Nigori sake.