FAUX MI... my take on a Vietnamese classic -- Banh Mi Sandwich

FAUX MI Serves 4

Tonight I was pondering what to make for dinner. I had the following items on hand: rotisserie chicken; hoagie style rolls; shredded cabbage; garlic; and fresh mint. Hmmmmm... then it came to me: I'll make a fake American-style Banh Mi sandwich!!

Reviving rotisserie chicken with a lightly sweetened, garlic-infused soy sauce, then topping it with crunchy cabbage and the refreshing fresh mint pleased all of the palettes in our house!!

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, picked & shredded into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup Less Sodium soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp oil (vegetable, olive or safflower)
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional
1 clove garlic, minced or grated on a microplane (about 1 tsp)
1 to 2 tsp sugar
4 hoagie rolls or one fresh baguette, split but not cut all the way through
mayonnaise , optional
Ginger-Sesame Dressing
1 fresh limes, cut into lime wedges, optional
shredded cabbage, as needed
seedless cucumber, sliced thin *will add next time --TC
fresh herbs - mint and cilantro

Preheat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the soy and oils, bring to a simmer. Add garlic and sugar, simmer until sugar is dissolved. Add chicken and toss to coat, take off heat.

Lightly toast the rolls (I use my toaster oven) and lightly dress with the dressing and mayonnaise. Fill bread with chicken, top with shredded cabbage and fresh herb leaves. Squeeze fresh lime over sandwich. Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy!! --Courtesy of the Traveling Culinarian at home -- May 20, 2011.

Worth the Wait...

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been traveling quite a bit over the past few months. A wedding here, a family getaway there, but mostly home to help my family. My mother was very ill, but thankful she seems to be doing well now.... Another positive -- I am now the legal mother of the two wonderful children who came into our lives last year! We formally adopted the brother and sister duo in October and could not be more delighted!


Now, let's go back to October 2009. I had the opportunity to visit with my sisters in Brooklyn, NY. We had an amazing time walking and eating our way through Brooklyn and Manhattan!!


Here is my version of my favorite dish of that trip!

The TRAVELING CULINARIAN’s version of FRANNY’s COLD SQUASH SALAD
Servings - Varies; Prep Time: 20 mins; Cook Time: 25 mins; Inactive time: about 1 hour

My sisters and I dined at a restaurant named FRANNY’s in Brooklyn, NY, in October 2009.
We had a fantastic dining experience -- from the sumptuous foods, lovely wine, knowledgeable yet, friendly service and warm ambiance of the restaurant as well as the other clientele...
I wrote to the restaurant requesting the recipe for the amazing dish we all rave about to this day! The chef Danny Amend graciously emailed me back with the details of the dish. I thanked him and the rest of the staff at FRANNY’s for their time, efforts and fabulous establishment!!

Chopped raw almonds
Winter squash – outer skin washed & peeled if necessary, seeded and cut into slices or wedges (Delicata, Kobacha, Acorn, Butternut, etc.)
Olive oil
Geasoning (or your favorite seasoning blend) or Kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper
Golden raisins *I used Zante currants, but cranberries or dried cherries would be nice too!
Cider vinegar, HOT
2 TBSP Agave nectar (I thought the vinegar on its own was much too tart!!)
Fresh mint, chopped
Fresh chiles, chopped fine *I had none available, so I used chopped Roland brand ‘Pepper Sweeties – Sweet Piquant Peppers’ (they are pickled and have a bite of heat!)
Fresh lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
While oven is heating, dry roast almond pieces; stirring every 3 to 5 minutes to prevent burning. Remember, the nuts will continue cooking when removed from the heat!! A good rule of thumb: when you smell the nuts they are nearly ready!
Toss slices of winter squash with olive oil, seasoning blend and sea salt – to coat. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment or non-stick spray. Spread pieces of squash out in a single layer; do NOT crowd as you wish to roast the squash, NOT steam it. Turn every 7 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of squash. Remove when just fork-tender. Cool completely. *Note: I turned my thinner slices of squash once for (total cooking time: about 17 mins). I turned my thicker slices twice (total cooking time: about 24 mins).
While the squash is cooking, pour ½ cup HOT cider vinegar over raisins, currants or cranberries in a small stainless steel or glass bowl. Let mascerate until cooled. Even after they had mascerated, the pickled dried fruits seemed more tart than I remembered – not how I remembered the delightful dish served at FRANNY’s, so I added some agave nectar to balance the flavors. [Store covered in the fridge up to 2 weeks.]
Arrange cooled squash slices on a serving platter, drizzle with olive oil, pickled dried fruits, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice; season with salt & pepper. Garnish with the mint, chiles and the toasted almond pieces. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!! --Courtesy of The Traveling Culinarian, at home in Sacramento, CA – November 2010.