Recipe: Pork Meatball Banh Mi

With its strong French-colonial influences, Vietnam is known for its excellent French-style baguettes. In Vietnamese they're called banh mi, and the baguettes are used to make a variety of meat and vegetable sandwiches, also simply called banh mi. This version is made with spicy vegetable slaw and savory pork meatballs.

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon nuoc mam (Asian fish sauce)
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 lime, juice only
1 knob ginger root, peeled and finely shredded

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir thoroughly to mix. Set aside.

Vegetable Slaw:
2 cups white cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
½ cucumber, finely julienned
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped (about ¼ cup)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add dressing and toss to thoroughly mix. Refrigerate until serving time.

Meatballs:
1 pound ground pork
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped (about ¼ cup)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon nuoc mam (Asian fish sauce)
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix with a fork or by hand. Roll the meat mixture into 1" balls and arrange on a baking sheet. Place meatballs in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside until serving time.

Sandwiches:
2 whole baguettes, cut into 4 sandwich-length pieces
1/2 stick butter
16 meatballs
Vegetable Slaw

Spread baguettes with butter and lightly toast in the oven. Fill the baguettes with Vegetable Slaw and top with Meatballs. Serves 4.