Bite-sized banh mi are a fresh and flavorful option for a party. (Photo: Mary Jane Miller)
By Mary Jane Miller
You probably already know that the sandwich was named after England’s fourth Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu (1718-1792), who liked to eat finger-foods during long games of cribbage or cards. (He would have enjoyed the new Rook Room, noted above.)
But here’s a lesser-known lesson from sandwich history: The banh mi originated in Southeast Asia during the French occupation in the mid-19th century. Its name comes from the Vietnamese words for “bread” or “baked good” (bánh) and “wheat” (mì) because it’s built on a French baguette with a swipe of very French pȃté. The remaining fillings vary but usually feature Vietnamese flavors to create a tasty cross-cultural mashup. As Calvin Trillin once wrote in The New Yorker, “The banh mi sandwich is really the only good argument for colonialism.”
I like to set up a DIY banh mi board for parties. It’s simple: Just place a basket of baguette slices on a large tray or cutting board. Add a crock of chicken liver pate. I make my own with a recipe from Jacques Pepin, but you can find it at Gateway Market or The Cheese Shop of Des Moines. Add a jar of quick pickles from the recipe below, plus any combination of sliced ham, cold shredded smoked pork or roast chicken. I like to toss the shredded chicken with a little Vietnamese vinaigrette. Add a bouquet of cilantro and a dish of sliced hot chiles and let your guests build their own open-faced masterpieces.
Quick pickled carrots and daikon
Pack 2 cups of shredded or julienned carrots and daikon (or another radish of your choice) into a jar. Bring a cup of water, a cup of white vinegar, a quarter cup of sugar and a teaspoon of salt to a boil and pour over the shredded vegetables. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. These keep well for a couple of weeks.
Vietnamese vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk together and drizzle over about 3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken.
For an even easier party trick, you can pick up banh mi at several local Southeast Asian restaurants and then slice them into smaller servings. I’m partial to Pho 515 inside the C Fresh Market, but you can find other good options at Gateway Market, Paris Banh Mi, Pho 888 or Vietnam Cafe inside Merle Hay Mall.
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