Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches)

1 cup rice vinegar

½ cup water

½ cup white sugar

1 Tbl fish sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

3 large carrots

½ medium onion

4” piece daikon (white radish) or 1 bunch red radishes washed and ends trimmed

1 hot house cucumber

1 bunch cilantro

1 medium jalapeño

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp Sriracha, (aka Rooster sauce) more or less to taste

1 roasted chicken shredded into large pieces or any leftover meat will work even meatloaf. Meat can be room temperature or warm. Your choice.

8 oz. paté

8 6” French baguettes

Heat oven to 350.

1.    Place rice vinegar, water and sugar in saucepan or glass measuring cup and heat. Just long enough to dissolve the sugar.

2.    Add fish sauce and soy sauce to above. Set aside

3.    In a food processor with a large grating blade shred the cucumber. Remove it to a towel and gently squeeze out the water. Set aside in towel.

4.    Grate carrots and radishes.

5.    Thinly slice onion.

6.    Rough chop cilantro. Pile up cilantro and run your knife through it 3 or 4 times. Some of the stem is ok so don’t spend a bunch of time picking off leaves.

7.    In a large zip top bag combine cucumber, carrots, radish, onion and cilantro. Pour vinegar/water mixture over and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or so while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

8.    Cut the top off the jalapeño then slice in half length-wise. With a small spoon scrape out seeds and ribs and throw away. Be careful cause jalapeño juice will squirt you in the eye. Now is not the time to rub your eyeball. Thinly slice and put in a small bowl.

9.    Mix mayonnaise, Sriacha and soy sauce together in small bowl. Adjust the heat to your liking.

10. 8 minutes before eating put the rolls on a sheet pan and put in oven. Turn the oven off. We’re looking for warm and crispy rolls here. Don’t slice them open until after heating since we want them soft inside.

11. Drain your marinated mixed vegetables and place in a bowl. Reserve some of the liquid if you think you won’t use all of it in one sitting so you can store left-overs in it.

12. Slice baguettes nearly in half length-wise using tongs since they will be hot.

13. Spread mayo mixture on cut sides of bread.

14. If you are using paté spread it on the cut side of top ½  of roll.

15. Assemble sandwiches by adding meat and topping with vegetables and jalapeño slices.

Enjoy.