Friday Food Find: A Bahn Mi Pizza

When it comes to pizza I’m pretty much a purist.  So when my husband called me last night to say he was bringing home a few slices of a Bahn Mi pizza I was alot curious though a bit ambivalent.  

A Bahn Mi is basically a Vietnamese sandwich.  Traditionally a breakfast food, it is a combination of meats, pate, pickled vegetables, herbs and a some heat usually in the spread.  It’s all placed inside a beautiful crusty, soft-on-the-inside baby French baguette.  Believe it! The Vietnamese make some of the most delicious bread I’ve had.  It is the French influence, of course.

After the last trip to Vietnam we picked one up on our way to the airport.  Here’s what we noshed on for only $.75.  

Mike walk in the door and said, “Babe, you gotta try this pizza!” So I did.  

It was really divine.  The combination of little salty bites of sausage, briny pickled vegetable, fresh cilantro, heat from jalapeño and the mildly sweet bread-y crust made for one flavor and mouth sensation.  I couldn’t believe it; a bahn mi pizza?  But it really worked. 

I finished off the last piece today for a lunch left-over and it was just as good.  

As you can see I’ve eaten this pizza second hand.  I didn’t go to the actual house in which it was made.  And my husband had it catered.  That said we’ll be on way to have some again and you should too.

You’ll just have to hop in the car and drive on out to Pinthouse Pizza Craft Brewpub in North Central Austin.  

Here’s to the Bahn Mi; my Friday Food Find just for you!  Enjoy.

Farro Salad with Tomato, Mint, Basil & a Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette

How many of you have heard about farro?  I first heard about it while traveling through Tuscany a few years back.  We had stopped for lunch at a country villa.  A salad of farro, tomato and parmesan with their house olive oil was one of our luncheon dishes.  It left a lasting memory.  So, when I saw that Tuscan Fields was sponsoring a scholorship to one of my favorite food blog conferences Eat, Write, Retreat I was all in.  All I need do is tell you about this new product being imported here to the U.S., write a fabulous recipe that the judges will find irresistible and WIN!  

With thoughts of a memorable Tuscan Fields Farro dish, new relatiionships and having a winning recipe here’s mine.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/4C Tuscan Fields Farro, cook according to package directions
3/4C of fresh mint & basil, julienne (hit julienne for a how-to lesson)
1C of sweet baby tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1/2C of Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette (see below)
Kosher Salt - to taste
Freshly ground pepper - to taste

Process

Once Farro is done, drain in a sieve and run cool water over it to stop the cooking.

With a small spoon gently move the farro around to cool all the way through.

Let the farro drain in the sieve for up to 10 minutes.  

Take the farro and place it into a medium size bowl with all other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly until herbs, tomatoes and vinaigrette are combined.  Taste for salt and pepper and add to your own distinct taste.  

Place salad on a large platter and serve family style.  

Yields up to 8 side servings.

*Great with chicken, fish or just as a side salad.

*Perfect for a summertime picnic dish too!

Parmesan Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/2C of freshly squeezed lemon juice 
3/4C of extra virgin olive oil
1C of parmesan reggiano, finely grated
1/2tsp of freshly ground pepper

Process

Place all ingredients into a plastic or glass container with lid.  Seal tightly and shake vigorously until all ingredients are incorporated.  Pour half over your farro salad.

*Can be used for any type of salad and or as a dipping sauce.
*1-week life in refrigerator tightly sealed.

Easter Side: Sugar Snap Peas with Basil

Easter is just a few days away.  One of my favorite parts of the day is planning brunch.  I go for simple ingredients and even easier cooking methods.  

The truth is you can plan a fab meal with a few simple steps and here’s one: a quick recipe of Sugar Snap Peas with Basil.

This year I’ll be driving back from Big Bend in the West Texas desert.  I wanted to leave you with a little something.  So here it is!

Ingredients

8 C of water
1/4 to 1/2 C of kosher salt
1 lb of sugar snap peas, stemmed
1 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C of fresh basil, julienne
Sprinkling of salt & pepper

Process

Pour water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add 1/4C of salt (it will dissolve, have a bit of a taste - water should taste like salt. Add more salt if needed).  Add sugar snaps and bring heat down to medium high/medium.  

Cook for 3 minutes. Pull one sugar snap out to test.  If it has a slight crunch it’s done.  Scoop peas out with a colander and pour into the well of another colander that has been outfitted into a bowl of iced water .  Swish peas around in cold water until cool.  This will stop the cooking process. Pull colander (w/peas) out of the cold water. Over the bowl gently shake off excess water and place peas on toweling to dry.  This process is a technique called blanching.

Pat excess water off the peas.  Place peas on a a beautiful platter, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with julienne basil, salt and pepper. Serve!

This is a perfect side dish for ham, beef tenderloin or a roast chicken. Serves 6 side servings.

Here’s a cool picture to show you the basics of how to julienne.
Which means to cut into thin or match-like strips:

1. Pile basil leaves one on top of the other.

2. Roll leaves into a “cigar”.

3. Turn so that the roll is horizontal.

4. Begin slicing, with a rocking motion, from one end to the other - very thin slices.

5. With your fingertips undo strips from roll.

6. Sprinkle julienne strips on peas.

This technique should be done right before you are ready to eat your dish.  Because the basil is so delicate it will bruise and brown easily.

Tuesday Tip: Use a Colander for Blanching Vegetables

One of the best ways to cook vegetables is by blanching them; and using a colander.  

Simply put, blanching is the technique of cooking your vegetables in super hot salted water. Then placing them in an icy cold water bath to stop the cooking process.  The objective is to have a perfectly cooked “crisp & tender” texture.

An iced water bath is all well and good.  However, if you dump your vegetable from the hot into iced water it will mix. Inevitably chunks of ice will come out along with your perfectly cooked vegetable.

To prevent this add a colander to your bowl of iced water.  The colander must be submerged.  You’ll want to find one that fits into the bowl you are using for your iced water.  

Use the same motion of adding the cooked vegetable from the hot water to your iced water, only put the vegetable inside the well of the submerged colander.  Swish your vegetable around to cool.  Lift the colander out of the water, shake gently to remove excess water and place vegetable on toweling to pat dry.

Now you have your vegetable ready to go; and without excess ice melting away.  

That’s your Tuesday Tip; a colander just rocks!

Friday Food Find: Frittata with Arugula & A Citrus Vinaigrette

I wish I could say I made this dish myself; but I didn’t.  It is a frittata with baby arugula and a citrus vinaigrette.

Recently I met my sistah-friend Kelly at 24 Diner in ATX.  It was her birthday and she wanted to eat somewhere close to our ideal shopping destination, Anthropologie; which was just across the street.

Not wanting to get too full (we were going to try on clothes afterall), I decided to order the Feta and Tomato Frittata.  

Let me just say it was fluffy, salt and peppered perfectly and had slight crispy edges.  Just on top and in the center lay a few handfuls of baby arugula that had been dressed with a tart lemon vingaigrette.  

The combination of flavor and texture exploded in my mouth like dynamite; bite after bite.

While chatting away between explosive mouthfuls I wondered aloud, “How may eggs are in ths frittata?”  

So I asked the waiter.  He said, “I think six.”  

“Whaaaatttt!” we exclaimed.  Both Kelly (who had also ordered a frittata) and I looked down at our almost empty plates, looked back up at each other and said, “OMG!”

Kelly said, “Why did you have to ask?”

Let’s face it, six eggs is a shitload - in one sitting and for one person.  

Needless to say, we did try on clothes with tummies a little fuller than anticipated. We both agreed, though, that our frittatas were some of the best we had ever tasted; and almost finished. Thank you 24 Diner for provided my more than ample Friday Food Find.

p.s. Notwithstanding, Kelly found a most flattering, rockin’ body birthday outfit.
p.s.s.  You know, us girls, always do!