Shortcut Spicy Shrimp Bahn Mi

Last week I shared a new delicious veggie burger recipe, but this week it's time to get back to my "fancy" sandwich creations. It's not a stick-to-your-ribs, cheesy carnivore's delight like my last new sandwich, but a perfect fresh and crunchy hot weather meal. As the name indicates, I'm not claiming this is an authentic recipe, but the combination of spicy and pickled flavor definitely has the spirit of the bahn mi. I've always been a lover of cucumber pickles, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I began a love affair with quick pickles and expanded my repertoire to a much wider range of vegetables, like those used here. I've included a link to an easy quick pickle recipe that invites experimentation (I recommend adding chiles and ginger to start), but even the carrots and red peppers hanging out in jars of Vlasic Farmer's Garden pickles will add the delicious vinegariness this sandwich requires. The sour pickles contrasts perfectly with the spicy Sriracha mayo, boldy topping the succulent shrimp without making them disappear. No bahn mi would be complete without a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, joined by an extra layer of crisp flavor contributed by sliced cucumber. While this sandwich might not take you straight to Vietnam, it is an ideal meal for kicking back and relaxing in the sun on a warm summer day.

Shortcut Spicy Shrimp Bahn Mi
serves 1 to 2

1 demi-baguette or ciabatta roll
Olive or canola oil, or melted butter
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
4 ounces raw large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 ounce pickled vegetables (carrots, radish, Daikon, cucumbers etc.)
1 ounce thinly sliced fresh cucumber


1. Preheat broiler. Coat the bread with a thin layer of the oil/butter and toast under the broiler until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix the mayo and Sriracha together in a small bowl. When the bread is toasted, spread spicy mayo evenly on top half of bread.

3. Preheat a pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. When oil is hot, add shrimp to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, flipping once, until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes total.

4. Place shrimp on top of bottom half of roll and top with pickled veggies, cucumber and cilantro and serve.

Vietnamese Cabbage-and-Chicken Salad

Being a Wisconsin girl with German heritage, my first instinct when preparing cabbage is to cook it down and serve it with sausage and beer. While that is undoubtedly delicious, the recent spate of meat-centric, heavy family dinners over the holidays left me craving something fresh and crunchy with a plethora of vibrant flavors (the Scandinavians and Germans are not exactly known for their liberal use of exotic spices), and this meal perfectly satisfied those needs while using up the lonely CSA cabbage (and radishes and carrots) that was lingering in my refrigerator. Fresh and crunchy cabbage, radishes, carrots, apple, and scallions blend together beautifully with a melange of classic Asian flavors, with just enough poached chicken to make it a light main course. This dressing isn't remotely exotic for those familiar with the flavors of Southeast Asia, but the tried-and-true combination of sesame oil, jalapeño, ginger, vinegar, fish sauce, lime, and cilantro was a fantastic way to bring my palate back to life. Although there was flavor and crunch to spare, I have one simple addition in mind for the next time this makes it to my dinner plate-a generous sprinkling of toasted, salted peanuts for just a bit of saltiness and richness in this otherwise light dish. It may seem a bit out of place to be eating a meal like this in what should be the depths of winter, but even once there's finally a blanket of snow on the ground I'll be happily clinging to tastes of warmer climates.

Vietnamese Cabbage-and-Chicken Salad

from Food and Wine

serves 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
2 cups water
1 head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), shredded (about 2 1/2 quarts)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
3 carrots, grated
3 radishes, grated (I used beauty heart/watermelon radishes, but any will do)
4 scallions including green tops, chopped
2 cups coarse-chopped mint, basil, cilantro, or dill, or a combination
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, cored and grated

1. Rub the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. In a medium saucepan, combine the jalapeño, ginger, and water. Bring to a simmer, add the chicken, and cover the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken steam for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the saucepan; when they are cool enough to handle, pull them into shreds.

2. Meanwhile, in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the cabbage with the vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Add the carrots, radishes, scallions, 1 1/2 cups of the herbs, and the apple to the cabbage mixture. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Serve the salad topped with the chicken and the remaining 1/2 cup herbs.