Name: Banh mi thịt (Vietnamese pork roll)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 6 crusty white rolls; To serve: mayonnaise, coarsely chopped spring onion, thinly sliced white onion, coriander stems with leaves, coarsely chopped birdseye chillies and soy sauce; Chicken liver pâté; 500 gm chicken livers, cleaned, trimmed of sinew; 500 ml (2 cups) milk; 2 tbsp brandy; 1 tbsp grapeseed oil; 200 gm softened butter; 2 tbsp pouring cream; Roast pork; 1 rolled shoulder of pork (about 1.3kg); 1 tbsp grapeseed oil; Pickles; 160 gm caster sugar; 150 ml rice wine vinegar; 3 carrots, cut into julienne; 1 daikon (about 400gm), trimmed, cut into julienne

Banh mi thịt (Vietnamese pork roll)

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for banh mi thit.

Serves 6

Prep

40M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

2H 10M

The classic pork roll is the very definition of an Asian sandwich for most Australians. Resist the urge to use sourdough or other fancy bread in place of Vietnamese bakery rolls; that flaky crunchiness contrasting the lush filling is what it’s all about. Leftover pork or chicken from a roast works nicely here, too, as do duck and rare beef.

Ingredients

6 crusty white rolls

To serve: mayonnaise, coarsely chopped spring onion, thinly sliced white onion, coriander stems with leaves, coarsely chopped birdseye chillies and soy sauce

Chicken liver pâté

500 gm chicken livers, cleaned, trimmed of sinew

500 ml (2 cups) milk

2 tbsp brandy

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

200 gm softened butter

2 tbsp pouring cream

Roast pork

1 rolled shoulder of pork (about 1.3kg)

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

Pickles

160 gm caster sugar

150 ml rice wine vinegar

3 carrots, cut into julienne

1 daikon (about 400gm), trimmed, cut into julienne

Method

Main

1.For chicken liver pâté, combine chicken livers and milk in a non-reactive container and refrigerate to draw out excess blood (at least 2 hours or overnight). Preheat oven to 150C. Drain livers, then transfer to a claypot or a small baking dish with a lid, spread in single layer, pour on brandy and oil, season to taste, cover and bake until chicken livers are cooked pink and no longer look raw (40-50 minutes; a little blood in the braising liquor is okay). Drain livers (discard liquid), then process with butter in a blender until smooth. Add cream, season to taste and blend until just combined and smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a 1-litre pâté mould or container and refrigerate until set (2-3 hours; pâté will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days).

2.For roast pork, raise oven to 220C. Rub pork with oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a roasting pan until skin starts to crackle (30 minutes), then reduce heat to 160C and roast until pork is just cooked through (45-55 minutes). Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until pork is chilled (2-3 hours).

3.For pickles, bring sugar, vinegar, 100ml water and ½ tsp salt to the simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cool, then combine in a bowl with carrot and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (this can be done up to a day ahead). Just before serving add daikon, then drain.

4.Split rolls, spread mayonnaise on one half and pâté thickly on the other. Thinly slice pork and place along the centre, then top with spring onion, white onion, coriander, chilli and pickles, drizzle with soy sauce and serve.