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6 Classic Submarine Sandwiches

YumSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:50:16 -0700

The food world is full of unsung heroes. Take Benedetto Capaldo, the alleged creator of the submarine sandwich. Capaldo, a deli owner in New London, CT, was born this Sunday, March 29, in 1890. According to Saveur, in his heydey at the height of the second World War, Capaldo prepared over 1,000 Italian sandwiches for the Navy submarine base in Groton, a neighboring town. The term "subs" caught on after the deli's best customer, leaving behind the legacy that Americans so enjoy today. Today's subs go by many different monikers and have dozens of variations, but they all consist of elongated pieces of bread stuffed with various accoutrements. Read on for recipes of six classics.

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10 Unexpected Thanksgiving Leftovers

YumSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Thanksgiving leftovers can sometimes be too much of a good thing. Tons of turkey meat and side dishes can be great, but not if they mean eating uninspired leftovers with monotonous flavors. Thankfully, there's loads you can do with leftovers beyond pot pie, sandwiches, and chili. Here are ten of our favorite new ideas.

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'Wich of the Week: Bánh Mì

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:17:31 -0800

In continuing celebration of the Lunar New Year, today's 'Wich of the Week hails from Vietnam, which kicked off the 15-day Tet celebration last week. Bánh mì sandwiches are like the Vietnamese version of a sub, and a delicious side effect of French colonization.

The best thing about bánh mì? They usually cost less than three bucks. But even if they weren't such a bargain, bánh mì would easily be one of my favorite sandwiches. For my latest San Francisco-bánh mì adventure, read more

Built on a fresh crispy French roll, bánh mì combines traditional Vietnamese flavors, such as cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, and hot peppers, with your choice of meat. Some of the most popular include barbecued chicken and pork meatball. The rolls are usually dressed with mayo, and the sweet marinade on the meat also acts as a condiment.

For years I've been going to Saigon Sandwich Shop in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood - it actually made the best sandwiches in America list! - but last week I decided to try Baguette Express up the street. I ordered two sandwiches at around $2.50 and 10 inches apiece: the bánh mì ga (BBQ chicken, pictured above) and the bánh mì ca moi (sardine, below). I would highly recommend the sardines if you're into that sort of thing, while the chicken was some of the sweetest, moistest meat I've had on a sandwich.

I think I still like Saigon Sandwich more - its sandwiches are delightfully overstuffed - but the Baguette Express bread was better: crusty and delicious. If you're ever in SF, you should definitely stop by one of these hole-in-the-wall shops. If you can't make it to SF (or Vietnam), you can also get great bánh mì in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, LA, and most other major US cites.

Travel To Vietnam In 30 Minutes: Make Banh Mi For Dinner

partysugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 07:59:31 -0700

Who knew you could have a taste of Vietnam in less than 30 minutes? If you make Banh Mi sandwiches tonight for dinner, your taste buds will be transported in no time. Banh Mi is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich made with a French baguette and an assortment of vegetables and meats. The contrasting flavors between the meat and herbs create a fantastic textural sensation. Introduce your family, or yourself, to a new culture and make this tasty treat tonight. It's quick, it's easy, it's new. So get the recipe now, just read more

Banh Mi (Vietnamese Pork Sandwich)
From Sunset magazine

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice (or 1/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and anise seeds)
1 tablespoon salad oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
12 ounces ground lean pork
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Salt
3 baguettes (8 oz. each; see notes)
About 2 tablespoons Asian red chili paste or sauce
8 ounces thinly sliced roast boned, fat-trimmed pork loin or cooked ham or chicken
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumbers (about 8 oz.)
3 cups salad mix (4 oz.), rinsed and crisped
1/2 cup fresh Thai or regular basil leaves, rinsed and cut into 1-inch pieces
For the fried shallots:
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 tablespoons salad oil

In an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir five spice until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in oil, shallots, and garlic. Add ground pork and stir often, breaking apart with spoon, until meat is crumbly and no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Add soy sauce, sugar, and salt to taste.
Meanwhile, make the fried shallots: in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, stir shallots in oil until crisp and golden, 6 to 10 minutes (shallots will absorb most of the oil).
Cut baguettes in half crosswise, then split lengthwise almost all the way through, leaving halves attached at one side.
Spread about 1 teaspoon chili paste on one cut side of each baguette section. Spoon about 1/6 of the warm ground pork mixture, including juices, over chili paste. Tuck 1/6 of the pork slices evenly into each sandwich. Set sandwiches slightly apart on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet.
Bake in a 375° regular or convection oven just until filling is warm and crust is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove sandwiches from oven and fill each with 1/6 of the cucumbers, salad mix, basil, and fried shallots. Add more chili paste and salt to taste.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 596(29% from fat); FAT 19g (sat 4.2g); PROTEIN 35g; CHOLESTEROL 64mg; SODIUM 1290mg; FIBER 4.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 70g

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Tom Colicchio Talks Sandwiches and Top Chef

partysugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:30:17 -0700

Last Wednesday I had the fabulous opportunity to sit down with Tom Colicchio. The Top Chef judge was in San Francisco to promote his new book 'wichcraft: craft a sandwich into a meal - and a meal into a sandwich. He exudes a natural confidence and quiet intelligence and stresses the importance of using a good bread to make a sandwich.

We chatted about sandwiches and Top Chef - season six starts filming in an undisclosed location on April 27! To find out what sandwich he is totally sick of and who's his favorite Top Chef contestant of all time, read more.

PartySugar: What was your most memorable childhood sandwich?
Tom Colicchio: [Thinks for a minute.] My grandma used to make us these great little grilled cheese sandwiches that she served with a bowl of tomato soup. They weren't that special, she used Kraft singles, but they were made with lots of grandma love.

PS: Why do you think the sandwich is so essential to American cuisine?
TC: As a chef you spend the majority of the time on your feet. At the end of the night you throw a bunch of ingredients in between pieces of bread and eat it standing up. The sandwich works so well because everyone is so busy. It's a classic; everyone has sandwich memories. They're not that fancy and it's portable food.

PS: What do you predict will be the next big sandwich trend?
TC: Hmm. It will definitely be ethnic. Everyone keeps talking about bahn mi. It's like Banh mi. Banh mi. Banh mi. I'm so over Banh mi. We've already been there done that with barbeque pork and pulled pork. I think it will be something inspired by Indian street food. What are those Indian street food sandwiches called? It's a funny name? [Chicken frankie]

PS: What's one sandwich tip the average home cook should know?
TC: Don't overstuff! Especially when making a panini. People need to learn how to use salt. Most home cooks under season. You also need to understand how to use heat. Amateur cooks never know how to use heat.

PS: Who was your favorite contestant on Top Chef?
TC: You may be surprised, but it's Tiffani. She was really poorly portrayed. Her personality was not portrayed well at all. She's a great cook.

PS: What was the most shocking moment in the history of Top Chef?
TC: The day shooting was cancelled and I got a call from the producers asking me to come down and take a look at something. We were supposed to be in production but we had to push it back due to them shaving their heads. It was crazy. I couldn't believe it and it was my birthday! I saw the entire unedited video. It was terrible. Shocking. Absolutely shocking.

PS: Where are you filming Top Chef 6?
TC: I can't tell you that. The producers would kill me.

Source

Yummy Links: From Michael Chiarello to Michael Ruhlman

partysugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:50:20 -0700

How chef Michael Chiarello deals with the crazies who come to his restaurant. - Eater SF
Calling all hot girls: Carl's Jr. wants you to star in its next burger commercial. - Eat Me Daily
Ten drinks that could only have been invented in America. - Endless Simmer
Learn how to make perfect French fries a la Bobby Flay. - Serious Eats
Take a closer look at Brooklyn's UnFancy Foods Show. - The Feedbag
Is the torta the new banh mi? - Grub Street
A brown sugar berry cobbler is a welcome finish to a Summer barbecue. - Epicurious
Michael Ruhlman discusses his new book. - Chow

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:03:51 -0800

We gave you our hearts this week - in many different edible forms! - and we talked about the "long list" of James Beard nominees, banh mi sandwiches, hamburger phones, rose cupcakes and more. To check out the week that was, click "Start Slideshow" below.

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All The News That's Fit To Eat - Feb. 6, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:18:31 -0800

Come eat Tet for the Vietnamese New Year. - Boston Globe
Hungry for a morning meal? Here are 14 memorable movie breakfasts. - Entertainment Weekly.
If lentils sound unappealing to you, think again. Special lentil varieties are finding their way into kitchens of chefs and home cooks. - San Francisco Chronicle
Ever wonder how folks with obsessive-compulsive disorder cope with restaurants? Plus, Mark Bittman has a new blog and Marcus Samuelsson's African eatery opens this week. - New York Times
Learn how to make your own butter. - Tuttifoodie
LA's Little Saigon is home to a revitalized dining scene. - Los Angeles Times
Usually eaten during Lent, capirotada is a Mexican bread pudding full of flavor. - Houston Chronicle
Celebrate Chinese New Year with the symbol of long life: noodles. - Chicago Tribune
Is this the banh mi of my dreams? - Washington Post
Discover the bold bites of Spanish flavor, including a Spanish Corrida Lemon Drop. - Seattle Times

'Wich of the Week: Daily Turkey Delight

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:13:19 -0800

I spend a lot of time on YumSugar celebrating all sorts of gourmet indulgences. But it's not often enough that I pay tribute to one of my favorite and most simple foods: the sandwich. These deliciously portable meals come in countless forms, from humble PB&Js to international treats like Vietnamese banh mi. So this year I'm starting a new feature called 'Wich of the Week, where every Wednesday I'll feature a different sandwich I've eaten or prepared at home, complete with photos and instructions on how to recreate it.

I thought I'd start things off with the default turkey sandwich. I make this one when I want a good lunch that requires very little time or thought. It's turkey on multigrain, topped with sliced cucumber and cheese and toasted in the oven; I then toss on some sprouts for a little friction and avocado slices to hold it all together. To get the recipe, read more.

Daily Turkey Delight Sandwich

2 slices multigrain bread
2 tablespoons sweet mustard
2 slices cold-cut turkey
1/4 of an avocado, cut into thin slices
9 thin-cut slices of cucumber
alfalfa sprouts
1 slice of Swiss or mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place bread slices side by side on an oven-safe plate or baking sheet. Spread one tablespoon of sweet mustard (I prefer Trader Joe's Hot & Sweet) on one slice of multigrain bread.

On the mustard-coated slice, lay the turkey slices, and arrange the sliced cucumber atop the turkey. Top with sliced cheese.
Pop both slices of bread, with toppings, into the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Coat the bare slice of bread with the remaining tablespoon of mustard, followed by the avocado slices. Pile the alfalfa sprouts on top of the melted cheese, and carefully place the avocado-covered slice atop the sprouts.

Gently press the two slices together, cut in half, and enjoy.

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Your Last Supper...

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:02:03 -0700

Over in the Kitchen Goddess Group, Twinkle brought up a really interesting question (one that I'm having a really hard time deciding on). She wanted to know what everyone's last meal would be. I personally can not answer that question. I think my meal would be more of a feast than a single meal. There's too many great things, I'd want to eat them all at once.

So how about you, what would your last meal be? Head over to the Kitchen Goddess and let everyone know - and be sure to check out what other people have said. Or if you're too lazy, just post your answer in the comments below.

Hrmmm... sushi or homemade potstickers? Chocolate chip cookies or a banh mi? Mimosas or a bloody mary? Oh god, I can't decide...