Pheasant Bánh Mì Sandwich

 

Bánh mì is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine, a convenient meal that you can grab-and-go from the boulangerie on your way to work or any other time of day. I may be biased, but I truly believe that bánh mì is the best sandwich in the world -- a perfectly balanced creation that combines both French and Vietnamese influences. 

Every element, from the grilled or cured meats, to the full-fat mayo and rich pâtés, to the generous amounts of fresh vegetables, to the pickles that offer brightness … all delivered by a short baguette that is delightfully crispy on the outside and cloud-like on the inside, work in harmony to provide contrast, none overpowering the other. I’ve eaten many styles of sandwiches and none compares to that of my home country. 

And it’s this specific Vietnamese baguette that makes a bánh mì a bánh mì, and it is a point of cultural pride. Taking the French baguette, which was introduced to Vietnam in the 19th century during colonization, the Vietnamese people created a new bread that is famous for its light, airy interior and crispy, thin crust. 

During our lunches when I was a little girl, I often heard my mother proudly saying that the Vietnamese created the “bánh mì,” which literally means “bread,” for the specific purpose of filling it. The true French baguette, she would say, is much too dense and chewy for this end. 

So, my purist heart cries a little when I see people stuffing Vietnamese-like ingredients inside a hamburger bun or hoagie roll and calling it a “bánh mì.” I’m sorry, friend. It doesn’t work that way. While fillings can be as variable and creative as one can imagine, the Vietnamese baguette is always the same, making it an elemental part of these beloved sandwiches. 

To find fresh Vietnamese baguettes, check out your local Vietnamese bakery or bánh mì shop. They come in short loaves or full baguette size, which can be cut down. If there isn’t a bakery near you, the closest substitute is the Mexican bolillo roll. And if you can’t find that, you could try baking it yourself, though I’ve heard it’s quite tricky. I suggest looking to Andrea Nguyen’s recipe at Viet World Kitchen. 

Marinated pheasant meat is just one of many wild game choices that you can incorporate into a bánh mì. I’ve filled these sandwiches with just about every type of meat under the sun. The following lemongrass marinade is versatile.

Servings: 4-6

Prep Time: Overnight

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

- 1½ pounds boneless pheasant breast or thighs

- 2 lemongrass stalks

- 1 small shallot, coarsely chopped

- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, plus extra

- 2 tbsp. fish sauce

- 1 tbsp. oyster sauce

- 1 tbsp. sugar

- 3 cloves garlic

- 1 tsp. Sambal Oelek chili paste, or to taste

- 4 to 6 Vietnamese bánh mì or similar rolls

- Sliced cucumber

- Sliced jalapeno

- Fresh cilantro

- Full fat mayonnaise, Kewpie or homemade

- Pork or chicken liver pâté, optional

Pickled Carrots

- 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned

- 1 equal size daikon (or other) radish, sliced or julienned

- ½ tsp. sea salt, plus extra

- ¾ tbsp. sugar

- 1 cup rice vinegar, plus extra

 

Directions: 

 

1. To make the pickled carrots: In a bowl, toss julienned carrot and radish with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and ¾ tablespoon of sugar. Then stuff inside a jar or container, and completely submerge with rice vinegar. Cover tightly, give it a shake and refrigerate overnight.

 

2. The night before, peel off dry, papery layers on lemongrass to reveal the fresher, tender part at the bottom. Cut off and discard the fibrous top of each stalk. Coarsely chop the lower tender bottom parts. In a food processor, combine the lemongrass, shallot, vegetable oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic and chili paste. Pulse until smooth. Evenly coat pheasant with the marinade in a zip-top bag. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

 

3. Heat grill or a pan to medium-heat; do not turn the heat too high because the sugar in the marinade will burn quickly. Slightly grease grill grates or add a bit of oil to the pan. When hot, cook pheasant until you get a nice char on all sides and the internal temperature reads 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Take meat out of the pan and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing thinly. Lightly salt the meat.

 

4. Split bánh mì bread and lightly toast for the outside to get crispy. Then coat the inside with mayo and pâté. Fill with sliced pheasant, cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro sprigs and pickled carrot/daikon to your liking.