Bahn Mi

Our family’s favorite sandwiches when I was growing up in the 40′s and 50′s?  Pimiento cheese, tuna salad, bologna and spam, grilled cheese, and hot dogs were old standbys.  My Daddy made the best hamburgers ever in his Bus Station Cafe.  Other than bologna and spam, I still have a fondness for all those.  But our family has a new hands down favorite:  Bahn Mi, or a Vietnamese sandwich.  The ingredients in this photo are ready to stack into crusty French bread.  I like to use leftover pork tenderloin to slice into this sandwich, but freshly grilled is fine, too.  The traditional bread is the French baguette, but I like to use Mexican style Bolillo from our local supermarket which are crusty with a puffy light bread inside each oval roll.  We are not alone in our taste for these sandwiches.  They have become so popular that many fans declare them a favorite.  There is even a website for this craze:  Battle of the Bahn Mi:  Finding, Feasting, and Making Vietnamese Pork Sandwiches. www.battleofthebahnmi.com

First, make pickled carrots and daikon radish to use as a condiment.

Pickled Carrots and Daikon

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin strips

1 Daikon radish, peeled and sliced very thin

3 teaspoons sea salt

4 Tablespoons sugar

1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup water

Mix sliced carrots and daikon with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 Tablespoon of the sugar.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes so that moisture begins to seep from the vegetables. Rinse well and drain.

In another bowl, mix vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until sugar and salt dissolve.  Pour over vegetables and let them sit for an hour or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Bahn Mi

1 pork tenderloin. (I buy the tenderloins already marinated, 2 in a package)

Carrot and Daikon pickles

1 English cucumber or 2 Baby cucumbers, sliced

½ cup Light mayonnaise with olive oil

2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Grill pork tenderloin on a hot grill for 10 minutes or until cooked through.  Set aside and toast sliced baguette or rolls until crusty and heated through.

Mix mayo and chili sauce before spreading on top half of bread.  Slice pork and arrange on bottom half. Top with carrot and daikon pickles, cucumber slices and cilantro.  Cover with top bread half, slice diagonally, and serve with extra chili sauce or sriracha.

Black Bean Chalupas

Our family loves Mexican food.  Along with Enchildadas Verde, Cheese Enchiladas, Fish and Shrimp Tacos, and Chiles Rellenos, we include Chalupas among our favorites.  These Black Bean Chalupas are so easy to make, look beautiful on your plate, taste fresh and delicious, and are full of healthy fresh vegetables.

Black Bean Chalupas

4 corn tostadas.

1 whole garlic pod

1 can seasoned smashed black beans

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups finely shredded romaine or other lettuce

1 tomato, diced

4 green onions, sliced

1 red and 1 orange sweet pepper, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeds removed and sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

vinegar for sprinkling on top

First, roast garlic by wrapping entire pod in aluminum foil and placing in 400 degree oven until pods soften, about 20 minutes.  Remove garlic and cool slightly. While garlic is roasting, prepare vegetables and set aside until ready to assemble chalupas.

 Reduce oven heat to 375, place tostados on baking sheet to heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, but leave oven on. Heat black beans with a dash of olive oil , stirring as they warm.

Assembly:  Place tostados on plate and squeeze enough garlic out of cloves to spread on top of each.  Then spread about 1/4 cup of the smashed beans.  Next, add 1/4 cup shredded cheese. To finish, divide the vegetables and cilantro among the four tostadas and sprinkle with a few drops of vinegar.  I like flavored vinegars, and often use sherry vinegar.

Caramelized Onion and Sorrel Tart

Sorrel is another old fashioned green that is actually a hardy herb.  Usually called French sorrel to distinguish it from a sorrel known as dock that may also be used in cooking, it has a lemony taste that makes it good with fish. It is used by the French for ragouts, sauces, and soups.  I have made a creamy sauce with it to drizzle over salmon.  But this lovely, light tart uses it with caramelized red onions and makes a delicious offering for brunch or a simple supper.  I adapted the recipe as shown on www.epicurious.com for use as a lower carb dish by using Phyllo pastry sheet layers instead of a traditional tart crust.

Caramelized Onion and Sorrel Tart

1/2 package of Phyllo sheets

Cooking spray

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

 8 ounces sorrel leaves

2 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

Pepper

In a 10 inch tart pan, layer the Phyllo sheets one at a time, spraying each with cooking spray before adding the next.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a wide pan, add the onion and the salt. Cook until onion softens and begins to caramelize, stirring often.

While the onion is cooking, cut off the stems of the sorrel leaves and roughly chop the leaves. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a pan, and add the sorrel by large handfuls, tossing as they cook down to almost nothing.  3 to 4 minutes.

Whisk the eggs with the cream; then stir in the onion, sorrel, and half of the cheese. Taste for salt, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the crust; then pour the filling on top. Bake in the center of the oven until the custard is set and golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve the tart while it is hot. .

Epicurious based the tart on a recipe from Richard Olney’s Simple French Food.

                                                    Bon Appetit!

Sauteed Scallops served on Italian Chicory

Long-stemmed Fancy Dandelion greens, also called Italian Chicory,  is related to several other bitter leaf vegetables which make up the chicory family, such as Belgian endive and the many varieties of Radicchio which are so important in the region of Veneto in Italy. We recently had some in our CSA vegetable share which I enjoyed using as a delicious side with scallops.  We used this for a light supper.  Smaller portions make excellent starters for a heavier meal. I adapted a recipe from www.epicurious.com.

Sauteed Sea Scallops with Italian Chicory     4 servings

12 large sea scallops

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar, divided 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1 bunch Italian chicory (other bitter greens may be used, or a mix) 2 tablespoons water Whisk together 1/3 cup oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and shallot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tear chicory into small pieces and add to bowl.  Keep covered and chilled until ready to mix. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Add scallops to skillet and cook until golden brown and just opaque in center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. When cooking a larger number of scallops, please cook them in batches, not crowding them into the skillet. Whisk vinaigrette; pour over greens and toss. Divide slaw between plates.. Arrange 3 scallops atop slaw on each plate. Add remaining  vinegar to same skillet along with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to simmer, scraping up any browned pieces from scallops.. Drizzle this sauce over scallops. In this photo, I have served this with a side of edamame and wild rice.

Kale and White Bean Soup with Sausage

Although you will often find red and green kale in supermarkets, this variety of kale is not so common.  It is called by a variety of names including Dinosaur Kale and Tuscan Kale, but I love its Italian name, Cavalo Nero (black kale) .  I received this lovely bouquet of the nutritious greens in my CSA share from All We Need Farms in Needville, TX. www.allweneedfarms.com  I am enjoying getting acquainted with Stacy Roussel, who owns the farm with her husband Jay.  Her smile when she hands me our weekly vegetables makes the good stuff I can make from them even more delicious!

My version of soup made with this kind of kale comes from one by Chef Mario Batali. It is hearty and nutritious, bursting with flavor from the kale and herbs. The addition of a small piece of rind from a wedge of Parmegiano – Reggiano lends a true taste of Italy.

• 2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 large onion, chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot,sliced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 links Italian sausage, crumbled and browned, or smoked sauge sliced into small pieces
• 1 bunch Cavolo Nero, chopped coarsely
• 1/2 small head cabbage, chopped
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmegiano – Reggiano, plus 2 inches of rind if you have it

Heat the oil with sausage,  onion, leek, carrot, celery, garlic, and herbs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add small piece of parmegiano -  reggiano rind and  cannellini beans Add cabbage and cook until  softened , about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for another 10 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf.   Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmegiano-Reggiano on top.  Slices of crusty toasted Ciabbata bread make a nice addition.  Some like to put the bread into the bowls and serve the soup on top.

Mary Ann’s Eggs Benedict

Most of the recipes I have posted since beginning this blog have been healthy foods although I have given little recognition of calories and carbohydrates. Since I need to pay stricter attention to both after coming up with prediabetic numbers in recent testing, I am going to share some of that adventure with you! It wouldn’t be fair to leave that part of our family’s food story out. I will confess, my first reaction was grief. As an R.N., I have certainly been aware of creeping weight gain associated with aging and the high levels of stress we have had during my husband’s numerous hospitalizations and surgeries. In other words, I knew the wake up call was coming. Of course, I should have been on top of it long before lab results defined what I had to do, but I kept putting it off. So now, I need to face the issue head on. I decided I would focus on my goals (healthier, longer life, weight loss, and a return to normal blood sugars) and the things I could eat as opposed to what I could not.

The short version of planned change is that I am increasing my exercise and avoiding white sugar, white flour, and white rice. I have engaged some tools to help me track food and activity. I am determined to find healthier, creative, delicious foods and continue my delight in cooking for my family. I am aware that I am modeling a healthier lifestyle for my children and grandchildren.

Being a food blogger, I read numerous other similar blogs. While reading one this morning I saw that today is National Eggs Benedict Day! Eggs Benedict is my all time favorite breakfast, so I decided to make myself a Monday treat. It is certain that my breakfast most days is much simpler, but I had to try this. My version drops the English muffin and substitutes sautéed spinach. With a small piece of leftover Easter ham, a poached egg and measured Hollandaise, my mission was accomplished. Delicious enough to serve anytime.

Mary Ann’s Eggs Benedict 1 serving

1 large handful raw baby spinach, washed

1.5 ounces honey baked ham (about the size of your palm)

1 egg

2 Tablespoons prepared Hollandaise sauce (I used Chef All Natural brand from HEB)

Spray small skillet with cooking spray, add ham on one side of the pan. When ham begins to brown, crack one egg on the other side of the skillet. Put 1 teaspoon water in (I do this with the skillet lid) and cover. Reduce heat and cook until egg is desired firmness. Remove egg and ham with spatula and place on serving plate. Put spinach into skillet and toss until wilted. Slide spinach onto plate under egg and ham. Hollandaise will be thick, so put it into the same skillet and stir briefly until it warms, then drizzle on top. One pan does it all!

Note: The brand of prepared sauce I used only comes in a 32 ounce box which should be used within a week once opened. It can be poured into an ice-cube tray and frozen in individual portions. Making your own Hollandaise would be even better.
Calories – 241, carbohydrates – 5 grams, Fat – 16 grams, Fiber – 1 gram, Calcium – 4 gram
(calculation done with www.myfitnesspal.com )

Stuffed Strawberries

Holy Week and Easter rushed by filled with beloved ritual and family filling all the spaces, so the 10 days since my last Kitchen Keepers post have seen plenty of food preparation, but not much time for photographs or writing.  I did want to share the simple but lovely dessert which finished our Easter brunch.  After a morning filled with early services, church breakfast, church at 10,  bell ringing and choir singing, I was glad I had planned ahead for HoneyBaked ham and turkey breast.  Ben contributed Crispy Potatoes and Fennel (recipe previously shared here), and I set out baby carrots and tzaziki sauce for munching while we finished our spread with baby green peas and tiny cheese souffles.  Our dessert was a hit, just the right taste of bright and sweet in beautiful strawberries, fancied up a bit with cream cheese and Triple Sec.

Stuffed Strawberries

20 large ripe strawberries

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup Triple Sec

Wash strawberries and gently pat dry.  Trim stem end of each straight across so it is flat. Set the berry down and at the tip make a cross cut with a sharp paring knife.  Spread the berry out to make a flower shape.  Mix cream cheese, sugar, and Triple Sec well until blended and smooth.  If you have a pastry bag, you can fill with the mixture and pipe into berries, but I put the cream cheese into a small sturdy Ziploc bag, sealed it, and cut diagonally across one lower corner to make a very small hole.  This works well for piping the filling into each berry.  I served 2 berries and a shortbread cookie in a stemmed glass to each guest. Garnishing with fresh mint is a nice touch.  These would be pretty to serve at a wedding or baby shower.