Thai Peanut Coconut Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches - Gluten-Free Version, Too!

Whether you call them hoagies, subs, grinders or any other iteration of the classic, substantial sandwich-on-a-roll most Americans take for granted as a God given right, we gluten-free folk yearn to once again sink our teeth into that long remembered gustatorial delight. Good crusty bread in the form of a roll is something we haven't been able to enjoy in a long, long time. Until. I found Udi's French baguettes and French rolls in the freezer section of Naturally Soergel's. The crunchy exterior-ed, soft interior-ed bread virtually demanded I make a hoagie with it...well, it would have had it spoken to me and frankly, I think it did!

My first hoagie in...well, since I had to go gluten-free nine years ago...HAD to be special. I searched my memory bank for sandwiches I'd lusted over for a while - cheesesteaks with mushrooms, peppers and onions, the classic Italian cold cut with a drizzle of dressing, a good old saucy meatball sub with melted provolone oozing out the ends. Sigh.

While every one of those long lost, delicious pleasures from the past sounded like it would more than fill the bill, the one sandwich I'd not been able to sample - and had been dying to try - was one of Lucy's Banh Mi sandwiches from her stand outside Bar Marco in the Strip District. THAT is what I wanted! So that's exactly what I made at home as I imagined Lucy's to be.

Starting with a sliced-open Udis baguette, I first layered on a couple of thin slices of hot pepper cheese, then a pile of sweet, tart and crunchy Green Curry Broccoli Slaw (the same slaw Kimber posted right here on Dinner Plan-it back in March of 2012), then a couple of grilled Thai Peanut & Coconut Chicken Tenders, a sprinkle of cilantro leaves and voila(!), my long-awaited banh mi masterpiece was a reality. The best part of all? It was everything I'd imagined and MORE!

Break out the grill, bust out the hoagie rolls and get ready to enjoy one of the best sandwiches EVER...gluten-free or not.

Thai Peanut Coconut Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches

 (Gluten-free Version, Too)

• 1 3/4 pounds chicken tenders, raw...not the frozen breaded stuff
• 1/4 C peanut butter
• 1/2 C lite coconut milk
• 1 T Thai red curry paste - I use the roasted kind, feel free to use the regular red or even go wild and use the green!
• 4 cloves garlic - pressed or minced
• 1 t ginger - yep, the powdered stuff in the little bottles
• 1 lime - first zest it and THEN cut it in half and juice it
• 1 T maple syrup - the REAL stuff, not the pancake syrup...or even use agave syrup
• 1 T fish sauce

•  1 Udi's gluten-free French baguette or a regular baguette if you don't have to worry about gluten -- sliced open lengthwise, but not all the way through...leave a hinge at the back!
• broccoli slaw -- see the recipe
• pepperjack cheese slices
• fresh cilantro leaves

In a large zip top plastic bag, put all the marinade ingredients peanut butter through fish sauce, seal and smoosh it all together until the mixture is completely blended. Add the chicken tenders, squeeze out all the air and seal securely. Put the bag into a bowl big enough to catch any drips that might happen and put into the fridge for at least 2 hours4 is better.

While the chicken is marinating, make the broccoli slaw.

Start the grill and when its good and hot, put on the marinated chicken tenders. Grill until beautifully browned and cooked through. Remove.

Now it's time to make the sandwiches! Open the baguette and lay on a few slices of pepperjack cheese in a single layer. Then spoon on some of the broccoli slaw, then the grilled chicken and finally garnish with a few cilantro leaves. Close the baguette, slice into individuals portions and serve.

NOTE: I like to serve these with Japanese Cucumber Salad for a crisp, refreshing, tart and spicy side.

Texas Eggs In Poblanos

If you really use your imagination...and kind of squint your eyes a bit...do you see the resemblance of a poblano half to the state of (yeeeeehawwwww) Texas? Me too! Do real Texans make eggs this way? I really have no clue, but why not?! It makes a great name for a brunch dish that comes in a Texas-shaped edible container anyway.

Spicy chorizo, smooth and creamy avocado, sharp cheddar, sultry cilantro and some other TexMex regular customers all gathered 'round the kitchen this morning for quite the satisfying brunch. It didn't take a lot of Sunday morning effort, either. In fact, you could cut the peppers, grate the cheese and fry up the chorizo the night before. From there, it's a snap. 

While the eggs are baking, it even gives you lots of time to make a nice pitcher of Bloody Maria's or even a Michelada. I'm sure that's what they'd serve up with Texas eggs in Texas anyway. Saddle up for brunch, pardner!

Texas Eggs in Poblanos

Serves 1

• 1 poblano pepper, (choose a nice big round one instead of a flat one - holds the egg) cut in half lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
• 2 eggs
• 1 link Mexican chorizo, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 C or so of grated sharp cheddar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 avocado, sliced and dipped in lime juice
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 T chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish
• 2 T sweet onion, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• green Tabasco

Set the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the pepper halves into a shallow casserole dish and break an egg into each half. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until the egg is set the way you like it.

While the eggs are baking, make the fresh salsa. Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro and salt to taste. Add a dash (or MORE) of Green Tabasco (I LOVE this stuff!) and spoon onto a serving plate. 

When the eggs are done, nestle them into the salsa, surround them with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, the cooked chorizo and garnish with more cilantro and lots of green Tabasco or even a little salsa verde.

This presentation is lovely...but right after the pic, I mixed everything up and piled it on top of the peppers. Maybe not as pretty, but easier eating! And that's what counts.

NOTE: Of course you can double, triple, quadruple the recipe to serve as many as you need!

Chili Dusted Duck Fat Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Scrambled Eggs

After the craziness of two big nights under the fancy white tents at Savor Pittsburgh and judging all those fantastic dishes, our Sunday morning was a lazy one.  Whew!  What a non-stop few days!  Come this morning, Mark and I need a break - if only for a few quiet hours.

I'd like to say we just kind of lounged around and relaxed, sipped Bloody Marys and noshed on this beautiful brunch dish, but the relaxing occurred AFTER the cooking...then it was really well-deserved!  Had we thought ahead, the crema and chili salt could have been done the night before and would have made this morning's prep much easier.  

Still, it was worth it! Duck fat sweet potato chips dusted with chili salt, crowned with avocado cubes cuddled oh so tenderly into softly scrambled eggs (with a little jalapeno kick!) and drizzled with cilantro lime crema were just the way to chill.  

Sounds strictly like a brunch dish? Ha!  It will make killer leftovers for breakfast tomorrow!  

 

Chili Dusted Duck Fat Sweet Potato Chips 

with Avocado Scrambled Eggs

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

• 4 ounces sour cream, or use Fage Greek yogurt - 0% fat is what I used
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce, the GREEN kind!
• Kosher salt, to taste

• duck fat
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1/4 medium jalapeno, cut into 1/2" strips and then across into slivers
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Chili Salt:  Combine and set aside.
 
Crema: Combine and set aside.
 
Chips:  In a medium pot, heat 3" worth of duck fat to 375 degrees.  While the fat is heating (watch carefully!), using a vegetable peeler (I like my nice swivel blade one that's about 3-4" wide), cut thin sliced of the peeled sweet potato and let them sit until the fat is hot enough.  When the fat is at temp, fry the sliced potatoes several at a time - maybe 12 or so - until they nearly stop bubbling.  Remove with a spider or slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate.  They won't seem crisp, but will crisp up in seconds once they're out of the oil. Don't let them brown or they will be overdone.  When they're all done, keep them warm in the oven.
 
Eggs:  Melt the butter in a skillet.  In a bowl, scramble the eggs, water, jalapeno and salt with a whisk.  Pour the eggs into the skillet and gently move them with a spoon until they start to set a little.  At that point, add the avocado cubes and continue until the eggs are just how you like them.  I like mine slightly wet and not overcooked.
 
Assembly:  Mound the chips on a serving plate, sprinkle with the chile salt, mound the eggs in the center and drizzle with the crema.  Garnish if you wish.
 
NOTE TO SELF:  Make the chile salt and the crema the night before to make Sunday morning just a little more relaxing.  


By the way...my report on BOTH nights of Savor Pittsburgh is coming up in a day or two.  Stay tuned!

SoCal Chicken Salad with Avocado & Cilantro

The Farm-to-Table movement is one that’s new to a whole lot of people out there, but there are those of us who were raised that way and for whom it has always been a “thing.” 

I grew up in the city – just barely, mind you.  We lived in Lincoln Place just a couple of houses down from the West Mifflin line.  These days that might not sound like country, but back then, in the quiet of the evening, you could hear cows mooing from across the hills.  And there were train whistles in the distance mingled in with the lowing of the cows that melded into a sleepy nighttime lullaby.

As kids, my dad always bought our veggies and fruits from the back of the farm truck that drove up and down the neighborhood streets – the same farm that produced those beautiful night sounds produced produce!   Besides our local farm delivery, we regularly took Sunday drives into the country visiting farm stands along the way.

We’d all pile into the car - no seatbelts back then – and drive north on Route 19 in whatever car we owned in those days.  I remember our turquoise and white 1969 Chevy Impala with the fins and owl eye tail lights especially…it’s considered “classic” these days.  (Just a thought here…why are old cars considered classic and old broads like me are just old?  From now on I think I'd like to be referred to as a “classic broad.”  I like the sound of that.)  

Anyway, we’d count cows and pigs and horses – whoever saw the most got a whole nickel!  A nickel bought a lot of penny candy!  And we’d stop at the farm markets to stock up on apples, beets, corn, jars of jellies, jams and apple butters, maybe even a fresh rhubarb or blueberry pie – whatever was beautiful, fresh and struck my dad’s fancy. 

I was really lucky to grow up always knowing that “fresh is best.”  And I’ve passed that on to my kids who grew up visiting the family farms here north of Pittsburgh - Soergels, Shenots, Kaelins and the now long-lamented Altmyers – all within a 5 minute drive.  (Okay, maybe 8 minutes on a busy weekend.)

Which brings me to today’s recipe using avocados.  Which are not local.  But if avocados could be grown locally, you can bet I’d be driving out to get the freshest ones available!  Until global warming produces local avocados, I’ll just keep buying the freshest ones available at Whole Foods.

SoCal Chicken Salad with Avocado & Cilantro

• 2 chicken breast halves, cooked, leftover is perfect
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 small avocado, ripe and buttery, 1/2 cubed, 1/2 smashed
• 1/2 lime, juice - make sure it's a big juicy lime!
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons red onion, cut into thin, short slivers
• Kosher salt, to taste

Shred the chicken coarsely in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients mixing until well blended, but the avocado cubes still retain some shape.
 

Mound onto a plate with tomatoes and whatever else you'd like or mound it onto buns to make a great sandwich. 

Avocado Brunch Eggs with Poblano Crema

This morning’s breakfast was inspired by a friend from Annapolis who has an absolute obsession with poached eggs.  Yesterday she made a poached egg and avocado sandwich for breakfast…that sounded amazingly good!  It got me to fantasizing about what could be done with avocados and poached eggs.  

This is what I came up with and couldn't wait to try it this morning!  It was worth the wait. 

First of all, that indentation from the pit was obviously made to nestle an egg into…just look at the avocado!  If you use your imagination, it even looks somewhat like a green egg.  Inspiration for Dr. Seuss perhaps? 

Second, avocados and Mexican flavors are classic…and for good reason.  The smooth creamy texture and gentle, nutty flavor combine so well with a little zing of lemon, a tiny bit of heat from the poblano and fresh cilantro. 

The result?  A brunch dish to server to discriminating guests with pride.  Anytime you can serve something this delicious and BEAUTIFUL, your guests will be grinning from ear to ear. 

Add a Bloody Mary with a little South of the Border twist…maybe with a jalapeno-infused tequila in place of vodka and chipotle hot sauce in place of Tabasco….I think it will be a very good start to a very good day! Thanks, Carol!

Avocado Brunch Eggs with Poblano Crema

Serves 2

• 1 avocado, sliced in half, pitted, drizzled with lemon juice
• 2 eggs, poached 

• 1 large poblano pepper, roased, peeled and seeded
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream, more or less
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, more or less
• pinch of cayenne
• salt, to taste

• cilantro leaves

In a food processor or blender, add HALF the poblano pepper, reserve the other half.  Start the food processor and add cream until it is a nice creamy consistency - pourable, but not loose; add cayenne, a drizzle of lemon & a sprinkle of salt.  Process just to blend and transfer to a small bowl or cup.  Set aside.
 

Make 2 poached eggs - however you do it.  I don't have a poached egg pan anymore so I do mine in simmering water with a little white vinegar added. When the eggs are ready, remove them to a plate.
 

While the eggs are poaching, slice the remaining poblano half into thin strips.  Set aside.
 

To serve: Nestle an egg into the hole in the avocado, drizzle with poblano crema, lay strips of poblano decoratively over the top, sprinkle a few cilantro leaves over & a little salt.  Done and delicious!

NOTE:  Obviously you can double, triple or whatever the recipe to match appetites and the number of guests!

Rock the Guac!

It’s a good day to rock the guac!  But then again, what day isn’t?  Actually, it was yesterday that Mieke & I rocked it…by ourselves…shamelessly.  The original intention for the molcajete full of gorgeous green was to serve it as an app for the neighborhood picnic we threw on the deck last night.  Um…that didn’t happen.  Well, the picnic happened, it’s just the guac that didn’t make it to the party.

Lunch came, the avocados were sitting in the molcajete all pretty, practically begging to be mashed up with garlic, onion, jalapenos, cilantro, salt and lime juice.  Those avocados were sending secret messages to our mental tastebuds luring our hands to obey….make the guac now, make the guac NOW!  So we did.  And it was good.  Very, very good.  And we were happy.  

Of course, the picnic was guacamole-free last night, but there will be other nights with drinks on the deck and plenty of time to make guac for the neighbors.  Unless the avocados start sending secret messages again.   

Guacamole

• 2 nice ripe avocados
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, sliced thinly
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2-3 T. chopped onion
• 2-3 T. fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1 juice lime - more if not juicy

Don't cut avocado until you're ready to add it to the molcajete.

In bottom of molcajete, add jalapenos, garlic, onion and cilantro.  Sprinkle with salt.  Using the stone, mash and grind the veggies into a paste or as close to it as possible. 

Now cut avocado around the perimeter and twist apart.  Remove pit, use a large spoon to scoop out all that gorgeous green goodness and add it to the molcajete.  Immediately squeeze lime juice over the avocado to prevent it from turning brown.  Mash it well into the veggies in the vessel.

Taste and adjust seasonings.  Add more lime, salt, cilantro or heat depending on your preference.  Play with it! 

NOTE:  If you don't have a molcajete, use a bowl and a fork!  Just as good...and that's what I did for many years until Mieke bought me a REAL molcajete for my birthday last year.  Do you think it was a gift for both of us?  Of course, I got her one for Christmas!  Turn about, you know?

If you want to invest in a real molcajete, Williams Sonoma has a really nice (i.e., expensive) one.  If you're lucky enough to live where there's a World Market (Pittsburgh NEEDS a World Market!!!!!!!), they carry them at a VERY reasonable price!  ($19.99 as opposed to $49 for the one at Williams Sonoma...see what I mean about NEEDING a World Market?!)

 

Cracked Black Pepper & Lime Shrimp Tacos

Taco Night!

Mmmmm...mmmmmm...shrimp tacos!  Oven-fried spicy shrimp piled high onto corn tortillas with an easy cilantro slaw and a drizzle of creamy, lime-kissed cilantro crema.  Add a side of guac and I'm a happy camper.  

You still have time to get to the store to pick up everything you need to make these for Friday or even for Meatless Monday.  Get going...I'm keeping this short so you have time to get to the store!

Cracked Black Pepper & Lime Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp:

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 t. dijon mustard
• 1 pound shrimp, remove tails & shells
• 1 c. fresh fine bread crumbs, gluten-free to make these GF
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 t. freshly ground black pepper, coarsely ground
• canola oil plus extra to mist over shrimp (can use Pam)

  

Slaw:

• 2 c. packaged coleslaw mix
• 2 green onions, sliced thinly well into the green
• 3 T. cilantro, coarsely chopped

 Crema:

• 1 c. plain Greek yogurt (I like Fage 0%)
• juice of 1 lime (use the zest for the breading above and the juice for the crema)
• 2 t. minced garlic
• 1 t. cumin
• 2 T. fresh cilantro, minced finely
• 2 t. GREEN Tabasco
• salt to taste
  

• soft corn tortillas 

Slaw:  Toss the coleslaw mix, green onions and cilantro together well.  Set aside or refrigerate until ready to assemble tacos.

Crema:  Mix all the crema ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to assemble tacos.

Shrimp:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet (with a raised edge all around) by coating lightly with canola oil.  Set aside.
 

Toss breadcrumbs, lime zest and cracked black pepper together in a plastic bag.  Set aside.

In medium bowl, beat egg white until very frothy, but not meringue-y.  Gently beat in mustard.  Add shrimp to egg white mixture and coat completely.
 

Remove shrimp from egg white mixture, let excess liquid drip off and add shrimp to the plastic bag, one at a time, with the breadcrumbs.  Shake gently to coat, remove and place on prepared baking sheet.  Mist breaded shrimp with oil and immediately place in preheated oven.

Bake for 10 minutes until just cooked through.  Remove from oven.

Assembly:  Put 3 shrimp on each tortilla, add a little slaw, a little crema, squeeze a little lime over and it's shrimp night!

  

Serrano, Lime and Cilantro Roast Chicken

Serrano, Lime and Cilantro Roast Chicken

Roasted chicken.  When chicken is roasting in the oven, the air is perfumed with not just the golden bird right there in the oven, but with memories of Sunday dinners around your mother's or grandmother's dining room tables long ago.  If you close your eyes and listen real close, maybe you can almost hear the voices of those whose words meant so much to you when you were growing up.  And you smile.  I think roasting chicken is like a hug.  Warm, comforting...and wonderful.  Maybe that's why it's one of our favorite Sunday meals around here.  

Last Sunday was a roast chicken kind of day and it got me thinking about last October when I went to visit one of my daughters and her family - the one in West Virginia.  Julie had never made roast chicken...it's one of her husband's favorite dishes. 

Actually, we didn't start out the day intending to roast a chicken.  Julie and I had spent the day touring Harper's Ferry together - just the 2 of us - and were going to pick up a smoked chicken for dinner at the stand by the river.  The hickory chicken wafting in the air  smelled wonderful!  It was $18 for a chicken!  Change of plans.

Instead, we hit the grocery store and picked up everything we needed to roast our own chicken when we got back to her place.   So we created our own memories of cooking together and laughing together and making her home smell like Sunday dinners of the moms and grandmoms and aunts before us.  The bonus is that Toney now gets roasted chicken just about whenever he wants!

At Julie's, we did a traditional chicken with fresh herbs, garlic and lemon zest.  It's good to start off with the basics.  Once you have those down, you can start to experiment, to jazz it up a little....and that's what I did on Sunday.  I've been working on a version with lime and jalapeno and haven't gotten it as flavorful as I'd like - well, not until Sunday, that is!  I finally nailed it.  Here's the recipe. 

  Serrano, Lime and Cilantro Roast Chicken 

• 1 large roasting chicken, maybe 6 pounds or so
• olive oil Pam or olive oil in your own mister

• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
• 3 huge garlic cloves, minced
• 2 serrano peppers, very finely minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, very finely minced
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 T. Kosher salt

  

Preheat oven to 350.  

Combine the herbs, garlic, peppers, lime and salt.  Set aside.

Remove the giblets, heart, liver...you know, all that gunk inside the bird...and rinse the chicken with cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels.

Put the dry chicken into a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack.

Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the meat of the entire breast (both sides) lifting the skin and creating a pocket.  Be careful not to tear the skin.  Take about a quarter of the herb mixture and spread it evenly between the skin and the meat of one side of the breast.  Repeat on the other side of the breast with another quarter of the herb mixture.  Carefully pat the outside of the chicken - breast, legs, wings - with the rest of the herb mixture.  

Before putting the chicken into the oven, spray it all over lightly with the olive oil.  Put it into the oven for approximately 2 hours or until the legs wiggle loosely and the skin is beautifully browned.  Look for an internal temp of about 180 degrees.

Remove from oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes before carving.  Be sure to breathe deep and enjoy that heavenly aroma!

Happy National Margarita Day!

Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita with Cilantro Simple Syrup

Happy Margarita Day!  I saw it on the internet so it has to be true, right?  What the hell, even if it isn't an official holiday, are you going to turn down a cold, frosty, tart and tangy margarita with a nice spicy kick?  I didn't think so.  I couldn't turn one down either...especially this one...especially today.  It's simple to make since it's a classic shaken version...you don't even have to drag out the blender and make a mess!  Yay!!!!

My little twist is cilantro simple syrup (I make it myself...recipe below), fresh lime, Cointreau, silver tequila, slices of English cucumber and fresh jalapeno combine to make a drink worth of the holiday.   Mix one up, raise a glass and toast the holiday!!!!!

Cucumber Jalapeno Cilantro Margarita 

• 3 slices English cucumber (seedless)
• 2 slices jalapeno (can't take the heat?  Leave this out.)
• 3/4 ounce cilantro simple syrup (see recipe below)
• 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
• 3/4 ounce Cointreau
• ice

Muddle cucumber, jalapeno and simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail tin.  Add tequila and Cointreau.  Add ice 3/4 of the way up the tin.  Top the tin with the mixing glass and shake until the tin is frosty. 

Strain into a salt-rimmed glass or without salt if you prefer. Garnish with a cucumber slice and a slice of jalapeno and enjoy.

Cilantro simple syrup:  Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer until it's clear - just a minute or two.  Remove from heat, add a handful of fresh cilantro and let the syrup cool.  Bottle and use.