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Vietnamese Pork Meatball Banh Mi Sandwiches with Cilantro and Mint Recipe

Vietnamese Pork Meatball Banh Mi Sandwiches with Cilantro and Mint Recipe

Ingredients

Pickled Vegetables:
2 cups carrots (about 1 ½ large carrots), peeled and coarsely grated
2 cups daikon (Japanese white radish – about half a large radish), peeled and coarsely grated
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Hot Chili Mayo:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 whole green onions, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Sriracha
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Meatballs:
2 pounds ground pork
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 green onions, finely chopped
2 Tablespoon fish sauce
2 Tablespoon Sriracha
2 Tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon canola oil

Sandwich Assembly:
2 baguettes
Red jalapeño slices for garnish
1 bunch fresh cilantro sprigs
1 bunch mint
Toothpicks

Methods/Steps

Prepare Vegetables: Place the carrots, daikon, rice vinegar, sugar and salt into a small bowl and let sit for a ½ hour up to 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Make Mayo: Stir mayo, green onions, Sriracha and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make Meatballs: Preheat oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, gently mix pork, basil, garlic, green onions, fish sauce, Sriracha, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Using moistened hands or a small scoop, roll meat mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs.  Arrange on baking sheet.

Cook Meatballs: Heat sesame oil and canola oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs. Sear meatballs until brown all over. Lower the heat if browning too quickly, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another sheet pan. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Then place into oven to finish cooking for 7-8 minutes, until cooked through.

Assemble Sandwiches: Cut each baguette into 8 mini baguettes. Then cut each mini baguette 2/3rd the way through (leaving one side attached). Pull out enough bread from each mini baguette to leave 1/4-inch-thick shell. Spread hot chili mayo over each bread shell. Cut a meatball in half and place in a mini baguette.  In the middle of the meatball, place cilantro and mint, pickled carrot and daikon, and finish with a sprig of cilantro. Arrange red jalapeños on top. Secure with a toothpick.

Serve: Garnish tray by making sure the cilantro and vegetables are poking out showing off all of the beautiful colors.

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook®

Serves/Makes

Makes 24 Mini Sandwiches