Backyard BBQ Battle - East Meets West - episode 8

Episode 8 - East meets West episode

Banh Mi Sandwich toppings

·         -mayonnaise

·         -cucumber

·         -cilantro

·         -sliced jalapeños

·         -baguette

Brine:

·         10 cups simmering water

·         1/2 cup kosher salt

·         1/2 cup granulated sugar

·         3 medium garlic cloves, peeled

·         2 medium serrano chiles, crushed

·         1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked

Mix all ingredients for the brine and cool completely.  Add pork steaks or a 3lb pork butt/shoulder to the brine.  Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.  Cook over direct heat.

For the pickled carrots, turnip and onions:

·         1 cup distilled white vinegar

·         1 cup granulated sugar

·         2 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1 1/2 cups peeled and coarsely shredded carrots (from about 3 medium), 1 cup of sliced onions, 1 cup of turnip.

Boil vinegar.  Add sugar and salt.  Add carrots, onions and turnip to the vinegar mix.  Refrigerate for a few hours.  Keeps well in refrigerator.

 

Vietnamese salad

·         4 large bok choy leaves, rough bottoms discarded, stems cut into ¼” pieces and leaves shredded

·         4 big leaves Napa cabbage, shredded

·         1 bunch watercress (discard thick stems), roughly chopped

·         1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

·         the leaves from about 8 stems each basil, mint, cilantro, roughly chopped

·         ½ small cucumber, thinly sliced

·         1 red Thai chili (or more…or less), thinly sliced

·         ½ cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped

For the dressing

·         ¼ cup fresh lime juice

·         1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

·         2 teaspoons soy sauce

·         ¼ cup fish sauce

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil

·         2 tablespoons agave nectar

·         1 teaspoon minced garlic

·         1 teaspoon minced ginger

·         2 tablespoons finely diced red onion or shallot

 

Vietnamese Egg Coffee

·         1 egg yolk

·         3 teaspoons of instant espresso powder

·         2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk

·         Boiling water

1.      Brew a small cup of espresso.

2.      Crack an egg and discard the whites.

3.      Put the yolk and the sweetened condensed milk in a small, deep bowl and whisk vigorously until you end up with a frothy, fluffy mixture. Add a tablespoon or two of the brewed coffee and whisk it in to temper the egg. 

4.      In a clear coffee cup (we’re going for aesthetics here), pour in your brewed coffee, then add the fluffy egg mixture on top.