Same-wiches? Not this season

YOU’VE invited the gang over to watch the game, and the tension rises as the clock winds down to the half. Maybe it’s due to the excitement of the game, but the sense of anticipation is just as likely to come from that happy halftime question: What are we eating?

How do you satisfy the ravenous masses? Try sandwiches.

Nowadays, the most intriguingly delicious sandwiches are balanced meals -- entree, salad and bread. Pan-fried cod is topped with radicchio slaw. Edamame hummus gets crunchy with grated carrots and a salad that includes crushed wasabi peas. A Vietnamese-style pork belly banh mi incorporates pickled vegetables.

At its core, the sandwich is comfortingly familiar, but it’s also become the current culinary muse of many a chef. Take the pork belly banh mi from Mendocino Farms Sandwiches & Marketplace in downtown Los Angeles. It has gained a loyal following among the hundreds of lunching workers the place serves each weekday.

Chef Judy Han takes a large slab of pork belly and braises it slowly, like Japanese buta kakuni, in a sweetened soy-sake broth spiked with ginger and garlic until it’s fork tender. She chills it overnight, then dices and pan-fries the pieces so they’re crisp on the outside and meltingly tender within.

At home, you can do the same thing -- roast the pork and make the quick-pickled vegetables over a weeknight or two.

Ready to roll

ON THE day of the game, assemble the sandwiches. Spread chipotle mayonnaise on a ciabatta roll (Han uses these thin, tender rolls instead of the baguettes more often used for banh mi).

Add a generous handful of pork, the pickled daikon and carrots, some cucumber, cilantro and a few slices of jalapeno, then grill. The crisp, fresh herb and tangy pickled vegetables provide a nice contrast to the rich bits of tender pork.

Or put your fish and slaw combo between a couple of slices of bread. Several hours or a day ahead, toss shredded radicchio and red cabbage with capers, olives and a light vinaigrette for an assertively colorful slaw.

Shortly before serving, toast thick pumpernickel slices and slather half with a little Dijon mustard and the rest with some creamy horseradish. Pan-fry lightly floured cod to a crisp golden-brown, and assemble the sandwiches as the fish comes out of the pan.

For an excitingly hot-sweet and hearty vegetarian sandwich, owner Jeffrey Price of Skratch Restaurant in Culver City offers an edamame hummus sandwich.

To make it at home, start with a robust do-ahead edamame spread, vibrant green and nutty (it’s a blend of spinach, edamame and garbanzo beans) with notes of garlic and tahini. Make the miso dressing ahead of time too.

Assembly is simple; you could let your guests make their own. Just spread the hummus on a rustic ciabatta roll and top it with sliced cucumber and tomato along with a salad of baby greens tossed with crushed wasabi peas and a tangy miso vinaigrette.

Pile the sandwiches high and serve with a stack of napkins. You may have no control over the game, but you’ve just scored with the gang.

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noelle.carter@latimes.com

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BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX

Pork belly banh mi

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus braising and chilling time for the pork.

Servings: 4

Note: Adapted from Chef Judy Han of Mendocino Farms Sandwiches & Marketplace in Los Angeles. The restaurant uses Kurobuta pork belly, also known as Berkshire or black pork; Kurobuta pork is generally available at Asian markets, Vicente Foods in Los Angeles and can be found online at www.berkshiremeats.com. Start this recipe two days before making the sandwiches to allow sufficient time to prepare the pork.

10 cloves garlic, peeled

1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups sake

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup soy sauce

3 pounds skinless pork belly, preferably Kurobuta

1. Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Mix together the garlic, ginger, sake, brown sugar and soy sauce in a large, nonreactive, oven-proof pot or casserole. Add the pork and just enough water to cover the pork completely. Cover the pot with 2 layers of foil (and the casserole lid, if using) and cook for 2 to 3 hours, until the pork is fork-tender.

2. Remove the pork from the braising liquid and place in a nonreactive dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3. Cut the pork belly into lardons (1 inch-by- 1/2 inch-by- 1/2 inch). Place them in a large, heavy-bottom saute pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until their edges slightly crisp and the fat is mostly rendered, about 10 minutes. Strain and discard the fat. Set aside the meat; you will have about 4 cups, more than is needed for the sandwiches in the final recipe. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate; reheat before using. The meat will keep for 5 days refrigerated.

Chipotle aioli

1 tablespoon chipotle puree (blended from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

1 cup mayonnaise

Salt

Pepper

Combine the chipotle puree and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. (This makes about 1 cup aioli, more than enough for the sandwiches.)

Pickled daikon and carrots

1 1/2 cups julienned daikon, from a trimmed and peeled root about 8 inches long

1 cup julienned carrots, from about 2 large peeled and trimmed carrots

2 tablespoons salt, divided

1 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup sugar, plus more to taste, if desired

1. Place the julienned daikon and carrots in separate, nonreactive bowls. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt over each and gently mix into the vegetables. Allow each to sit for 30 minutes.

2. Rinse the daikon and carrots separately under cold running water until the water runs clear. Shake vigorously to remove the excess water.

3. Combine the daikon and carrots in a medium nonreactive bowl and stir in the rice vinegar and sugar. Taste and adjust the sweetness with additional sugar as desired. Cover and refrigerate until needed; drain the pickled vegetables before using. This makes about 2 cups pickled daikon and carrots.

Sandwich assembly

4 ciabatta rolls, halved

1/2 cup chipotle aioli

1 1/3 cups braised pork belly

1 1/3 cups pickled carrot and daikon

1/2 cup julienned cucumber

4 teaspoons chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno sliced, more to taste

1. Spread each ciabatta half with 1 tablespoon of the aioli. Divide the pork belly among the 4 bottom ciabatta halves (one-third cup per sandwich), then top with the pickled vegetables. Sprinkle evenly with the cucumber, and repeat with the cilantro. Place 2 to 3 jalapeno slices on each half, or more to taste. Cover each sandwich with the remaining ciabatta bread.

2. Grill the sandwiches using a panini press or on a grill over medium heat and weighted with something heavy (like a cast-iron skillet). Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

Each serving: 787 calories; 18 grams protein; 64 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 51 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 78 mg. cholesterol; 1,610 mg. sodium.

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Edamame sandwich

Total time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Adapted from Jeffrey Price of Skratch Restaurant in Culver City. The restaurant uses La Brea Bakery ciabatta or rustique rolls. Agave nectar and wasabi peas are widely available. White miso is available at Asian markets as well as in the refrigerated Asian sections of well-stocked supermarkets.

Edamame hummus

10 cups loosely packed, cleaned and trimmed spinach leaves

2 cups shelled edamame beans

2 cups shelled garbanzo beans

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons tahini paste

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup olive oil

1. Blanch the spinach in a large pot of boiling water to bring out the vibrant color and wilt just slightly, about 1 minute. Drain and shock the spinach in a bowl of ice water. Drain the spinach again, pressing out all excess water. You should have one-half cup.

2. Place the edamame and garbanzo beans in the bowl of a food processor, along with the spinach, garlic, lemon juice, tahini paste, ground ginger and salt. Pulse until the contents are the consistency of a coarse paste. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Place the hummus in a nonreactive bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate until needed. This recipe makes 4 cups hummus, more than needed for the sandwiches, and can be used as a spread on crackers or bread. It will keep for 4 days refrigerated.

White miso dressing

3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon white miso

3 tablespoons agave nectar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, agave nectar, brown sugar and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the vegetable and sesame oils until emulsified. This makes 1 scant cup dressing that will keep for 3 days refrigerated.

Sandwich assembly

4 ciabatta or rustique rolls, halved

1 1/3 cups hummus

1 cup peeled and grated carrots

1 large cucumber

8 slices ripe plum tomato (from 1 large or two medium)

6 cups mixed baby field greens (about 4 ounces)

1/4 cup white miso dressing

40 wasabi peas, crushed

1. Spread a heaping 2 tablespoons hummus over each roll half (top and bottom). Top each bottom half with one-fourth cup grated carrot.

2. Trim the ends off the cucumber and halve it crosswise. Slice each half lengthwise into one-fourth-inch-thick slices. Place 2 slices on top of each mound of carrots, then top each with 2 slices of tomato.

3. In a large bowl, toss the field greens with the dressing and crushed wasabi peas. Divide the salad among the 4 sandwiches and carefully mound in place.

4. Top each sandwich with the remaining ciabatta and press down firmly (if necessary, wrap each sandwich with parchment or butcher paper so that the contents don’t fall out). Halve the sandwiches and serve immediately.

Each serving: 725 calories; 21 grams protein; 88 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams fiber; 33 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 987 mg. sodium.

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Pan-fried cod with radicchio slaw on pumpernickel

Total time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Moroccan olives are available at Whole Foods and specialty markets. To make creamy horseradish, combine one-half cup sour cream with 1 tablespoon straight horseradish and season with one-eighth teaspoon salt.

Radicchio slaw

1 head radicchio, cored and quartered lengthwise

1/2 head red cabbage, cored and halved lengthwise

1/2 cup capers

1/2 cup chopped Moroccan olives

1 tablespoon minced thyme

1 1/4 teaspoons minced rosemary

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sugar

1. Finely shred the radicchio and cabbage crosswise and toss in a large bowl.

2. Fold in the capers, olives, thyme and rosemary. Stir in the vinegar and oil.

3. Season with one-half teaspoon salt, several grinds of pepper and a teaspoon of sugar, or to taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to develop. This recipe makes about 10 cups slaw, more than needed for the final recipe, and will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.

Sandwich assembly

1 1/2 pounds Atlantic cod fillets, skin and pin bones removed

1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

8 thick slices pumpernickel bread, toasted

1/4 cup Dijon mustard, divided

1/2 cup creamy horseradish, divided

2 cups radicchio slaw, divided

1. Cut the fillets crosswise into 1 1/2 - to 2-inch cubes. In a shallow baking dish, combine the flour, salt and several grinds of black pepper. Lightly dredge the fish in the seasoned flour and set aside; you will not use all of the seasoned flour.

2. In a large skillet, add enough oil so that it’s about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil until a thermometer inserted reads 350 degrees. Pan fry the cod until the exterior is a light golden-brown and the inside is firm and white, about 2 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan; you may need to fry the fish in two batches. Drain the pieces on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside in a warm place.

3. Spread 1 tablespoon of mustard on each of 4 pieces of toast, and 2 tablespoons creamy horseradish on the remaining pieces. Divide the cod among the pieces of toast with the horseradish, then top each portion with one-half cup of the slaw. Top each sandwich with the mustard toast, slice in half and serve immediately.

Each serving: 476 calories; 35 grams protein; 43 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 70 mg. cholesterol; 1,377 mg. sodium.