Why making Banh Mi at Home Sounds like a Good Plan

CHEFTALK

Why making Banh Mi at home sounds like a good plan

Reading around lately I noticed a number of pretty contradicting trends in the American fast food businesses. Pizza Hut announced to forgo their plans to introduce ‘skinny’ healthy pizzas. Dominos tried to introduce healthy pizzas earlier, but apparently they also hit a wall of non –acceptance from the public, same reason why Pizza Hut abandoned the idea. 

I noted a couple of articles ago that one of the food trends of 2014 was healthy Gourmet Pizza’s, a trend seemingly growing fast in the US, the move sounded therefore surprising.

A few days later, Vietnamese sandwich outlets were introduced by Yum, owners of Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, among other famous fast food brand names, in an effort to introduce healthier items on the menu.

Why, Pizza Hut’s owners abandon healthy ‘skinny pizzas’ because they are rejected by the public and they believe that healthy Vietnamese sandwiches will be accepted is somewhat puzzling.

Healthy food is a very difficult to overcome issue for fast food companies, health food has perishable ingredients and perishable ingredients are very difficult to control for the staff. Except maybe for a salad here and there

Fast food does not hire chefs at store level, they have ‘workers’ (with due respect for the word) trained to prepare very simple food, that food has to be fool proof or the risk of contamination and more over cross-contamination reaches dangerous levels, something fast food companies cannot afford to happen.

Sales for a number of fast food chains, that entered China, went down by 20% last year due to some food safety scandals. Millions of dollars are needed to restore customer confidence and no fast food company is looking forward to that, let alone the image damage it causes.

No cooking here

A closer look at a fast food kitchen lay-out, may explain why that is so. 

Frozen foods are strictly separated from perishables and processed foods and handled by different staff members. The moment you mix the two, you have a recipe for disaster.

That is the main reason why fast food uses processed food. A pizza for example has a processed sauce, vegetables, processed meat and some processed cheese on top of the dough, when prepared, the raw pizza goes through a 473 F oven and is served, quite difficult to mess that up. 

Ingredients are replaced after a set period of time, so if everybody follows the rules, you can safely eat your pizza. The moment raw meat or fish enters the circle matters become tricky.

With burgers you see the same thing, a worker places a frozen burger patty on a hot plate or in a grilling machine, flips it over after the buzzer beeps, somebody else adds a slice of lettuce and a slice of tomato on top of a halved bun and the ‘burger man’ tops the patty, pack, serve, also difficult to mess it up.

The moment fresh (not frozen) meat has to be cooked with vegetables, all is lost and food safety control is out the window. The solution? When the pizza does not work for the public, choose a complete new concept and the public will welcome the idea, believing it has been invented by people going out of the way to make our life more exiting.

When you ask me, the best way to have a great Vietnamese sandwich (Banh Mi) is to make them yourself. Why? Well here is a good reason:

In the early 1980s, Vietnamese sandwiches were at the center of a food craze in the US, several peddlers ensued in a sort of food war, advertising prices as low $1 or $1.25. Obviously you got eventually what you paid for and the fast food masters know that benchmark.

Banh Mi is made with a light crispy baquette as a base; this kind of baquette is made with a mix of wheat and rice flour resulting in an airy crumb. They are available in Vietnamese and Chinese stores, bakeries or deli’s. The baquette is traditionally spread with (chicken) liver pate, topped with chili pepper, daikon and carrot pickles, protein is an option, roast chicken, grilled pork, chinese char siu pork and tofu are common.

I am pretty sure that you will not to find a traditional Banh Mi in the fast food. Simply because grilled, roast and barbequed meats are not processed meats and therefore very perishable. 

Focal point is the protein and when you have leftover vacuum packed grilled or roasted meat in your freezer you’re half way done.

Crunchy

Here is a recipe :   

1 small Vietnamese baquette

1 serving of grilled, roasted, or barbequed pork, chicken or beef

1 tbsp homemade mayonnaise

4 thin de-seeded cucumber strips

1 tbsp cilantro leaves

4 thin chili pepper slices (Jalapeno works fine)

1 tsp light soya sauce

Daikon and carrot pickle

Slice the baquette lengthwise in half and remove some of the inside (keep that for bread crumbs)

Spread the mayonnaise on the inside and layer all ingredients in the baquette. Top with the soya sauce and voila. Enjoy.

You can replace the mayonnaise with pate, if you like  

What a way to make perfect use of your vacuum packed meat you stored in the freezer.

If you have no homemade vacuum packed meat in your freezer start making some, you can find your vacuum sealer here:

  www.vacupack.com  for USA and www.vacupack.ca for Canada.

A delightful sandwich that will save you money as well, the fast food plans to charge you $7.50. 

By: Marinus Hoogendoorn

Ideas what to Cook with Local Market Produce.

  

CHEF RECIPE TALK

Some Ideas what to Cook from the Local Market Goodies

When you have decided to give local produce a chance you may well come home with lots of great stuff from the local market. 

Bags full of sweet tomatoes, white and green asparagus, peaches and apricots are waiting to be turned into great dishes to delight the family.

It is a good plan to start your retort program as well so you have lots of pouches with summer ingredients on hand for when the market closes when winter is nearing. You can refer to my earlier posts about pouch retort from the side bar on the right.

In the meantime I give you a few ‘easy to make’, yet incredible tasting recipes that the whole family will enjoy.

For starters:

 Use green asparagus for an appetizing light green color in this recipe. 

                                           

Asparagus soup:         Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
14 oz green asparagus (cut into small pieces)
18 oz chicken stock (homemade if possible)
4 tbsp double cream
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Heat the oil in a double based stock pot, add the onions and fry on medium heat until softened. 
• Add the asparagus and fry for another minute, mixing well. 
• Add the stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 
• Transfer the mix to an upright blender. Add half of the double cream and blend smooth. 
• Return the soup to the stock pot and bring to boil. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Serve the soup in individual bowls garnished with the remaining half of the double cream and slices of crusty bread. 

For Mains:

Traditionally, Bolognaise sauce, that lovely deep red/ brown color of good tasting beef sauce, is served with Tagliatelle 

Here is a great, ‘Italian chefs association’ approved recipe. 

 

Tagliatelle Bolognaise:           Serves 4                                                        

                                        

 Ingredients:                                                                                          

2 tbsp olive oil 6 rashes streaky ‘pancetta’ (cut in ¼ inch strips)         

2 large onions (chopped) 

3 cloves fresh garlic (chopped) 

2 medium sized carrot (diced) 

1 stalk celery (cut the same size as the carrot) 

2 lbs lean minced beef 

2 glasses red wine 

2 lbs fresh tomatoes 

2 nos bay leaves 

1 ½ Lbs dry tagliatelle (quantity is a guide, make as much as your family eats)
Salt and pepper to taste and grated Parmesan for serving.


Method:

• Heat the oil in a double base skillet. Add the pancetta and fry on medium heat until browned. 
• Add the onion and garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. 
• Add the minced beef and bay leaves and continue frying until the beef has browned. 
• Add the diced carrot and celery, mix well 
• Add the wine and reduce the quantity by cooking for 5 minutes. 
• Add your tomatoes, bring to boil and season the mix with salt and pepper. 
• Cook the tagliatelle according to the cooking instructions on the packaging. (for dry pasta this is usually 9 to 10 minutes) 
• Divide the pasta over individual plates, top with a generous grating of parmesan and a good ladle of Bolognaise sauce. 
• Grate some more parmesan over the top and serve hot. 

For Dessert:

           

This deep dish peach pie makes a great finish to this menu.

Deep Dish Peach Pie                                                                 

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups all- purpose flour

½ tsp salt 

1 tsp cinnamon powder 

3 tsp sugar 

8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick, cold and cut into small pieces) 

8 tbsp vegetable shortening 

2 egg yolks 

1 egg white (slightly whisked) 

1 tbsp sugar

For the filling:

3 lbs peaches (cut into wedges) 1 tbsp lemon juice 1cup sugar pinch of salt ¼ cup instant tapioca 4 tbsp corn starch

Method:

• Place flour, cinnamon, salt and 3 Tbsp sugar in a food processor, pulse for a few seconds. 
• Add the pieces of butter, pulse until you get a crumble like texture. 
• Add the shortening and egg yolks and pulse until a dough forms. 
• Remove from the processor. Work the dough a bit until it all comes together. 
• Cover with cling film and rest for ½ an hour. 

Mix all ingredients and leave to stand for ½ an hour, mixing it around a few times.

Making the pie:

• Divide the dough in half and roll one half about 1 ½ inches bigger than a 9 inch deep dish pan. 
• Line the pan with aluminum foil or baking paper, place the dough on top. Ensure the edges are a bit outside the pan. 
• Add the peach filling. Slightly wet the edges with a brush. 
• Roll the other half of the dough and place on top. 
• Press the bottom and top of the dough together with the help of a fork. 
• Brush the top of the pie with the whisked egg white and sprinkle the remaining sugar. 
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 F for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 F and continue baking for 40 minutes. 
• Remove the pie from the oven and cool. 
• Remove the pie from the pan and cut into slices. 
• If liked you can serve this pie slightly warmed with some powdered sugar on top and a scoop of ice cream.

Enjoy your local market products in this great ‘feast’ dinner.

When you are out of or in need of retort pouches find them here:   www.vacupack.com  www.vacupack.ca


Recipes by Marinus Hoogendoorn