The No.1 Cold Cut Combo Banh Mi
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Total: 13 hr 25 min (includes pickling and chilling times)
- Active: 1 hr 35 min
Ingredients
Pâté:
1 1/2 pounds ground pork shoulder, preferably Niman Ranch
Sea salt and black pepper
Neutral oil, for cooking
12 ounces chicken livers
1 medium shallot, sliced
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup rendered pork fat
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
Ham Hock Terrine:
1 pound smoked ham hocks
5 grams gelatin powder
Pickled Vegetables:
4 cups sugar
4 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup sea salt
1 pound carrots, cut into matchsticks
8 ounces daikon radish, shredded
To Assemble and Serve:
Four 8- to 10-inch French baguettes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
4 to 8 slices smoked bologna
1/2 bunch cilantro, big stems removed
2 small jalapeño, thinly sliced into rounds
Gluten-free soy sauce, preferably Kikkoman
Black pepper
Directions
- For the pâté: On a hot flat top or griddle, add the ground pork and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Sear until golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer to a big bowl. Grease the flat top with a little bit of oil, then add the chicken livers and sprinkle liberally with more salt and pepper. Sear until medium-rare. Add the chicken livers to the bowl with the pork. Add the shallots, garlic and a little bit of oil to the flat top. Cook until the shallots are soft and translucent. Transfer to the bowl along with the pork fat, five-spice powder, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, then purée until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup coarsely ground black pepper. Store in a nonreactive container in the refrigerator.
- For the ham hock terrine: In a large pot, add the ham hocks and 3 gallons water. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Transfer the ham to a large bowl and let cool. Strain and reserve the ham stock. Pick and discard the cartilage, bones and tough meat from the hocks. Dice the fat, then julienne the skin and return to the bowl. Set aside.
- Stir the gelatin into 15 grams cold water in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a pot, bring 4 cups reserved ham stock to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin. Pour the stock over the ham meat, fat and skin. While warm, transfer the meat mixture to a 400-size hotel pan or large roasting pan and press with another pan to weigh down. Refrigerate overnight to set.
- For the pickled vegetables: In a 12-quart clear container, combine the sugar, vinegar and salt. Whisk to combine until the salt and sugar dissolve. In a large, nonreactive container, mix the carrots and daikon until evenly distributed. Distribute the vegetable mixture into three 12-quart, clear plastic containers. Evenly pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Toss the vegetables and press down so that they are all submerged under the pickling liquid. Pickle, refrigerated, at minimum 30 minutes and at most 1 week.
- To assemble and serve: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Toast the baguettes until super crispy on the outside and steamy and warm on the inside, 3 to 4 minutes. Split the baguettes, then slather the entire inside with mayonnaise. Spread the bottom of each sandwich with 1 ounce pâté. Start evenly layering from bottom to top of each sandwich in this order: cucumber, 1 to 2 slices bologna, 1 to 2 slices ham hock terrine, 1/2 cup pickled vegetables, cilantro, jalapeño, 3 dashes soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper. Close the sandwiches, cut in half, and eat right away!