The humble and satisfying sandwich can be found in nearly every culture. From classic American PB&Js to hoagies and burgers, wraps and clubs, pockets and panini, and an international smattering of open-face toasts and tartines, there is a version of a sandwich for every cuisine and appetite. In honor of the sandwich and its universal appeal, I submit to you a delectable recipe for banh mi, which is guaranteed to whisk you away from the daily humdrum of sheltering, ZOOM meetings, discordant news and the winter blues -- at least for lunch.

Banh mi is the Vietnamese rendition of a sandwich with French sensibilities. It’s a creation influenced by the lengthy colonization of Vietnam by France. French baguette, pate and mayonnaise meet the fragrance and spice of Southeast Asia, layered with lacquered meats, chiles, pickles and cilantro in a double-fisted whopper of a sandwich.

The appeal of banh mi lies in a perfect balance of spicy, salty, sweet and piquant flavors matched by a satisfying blend of textures -- crusty tender bread, sprigs of leafy herbs, sharp pickles and a creamy chile-spiked mayo sauce. It’s a loaded sandwich, and in keeping with sandwich ethos, a great way to repurpose leftover meats, such as pork, chicken and duck. In this recipe, the cooked meat is shredded and tossed in a sweet and salty vinaigrette, then reheated in the oven until warm and crisp. A smear of liver pate is an authentic addition to banh mi, but I have not included it, opting for another generous smear of the chile-spiked mayo. If you would like to add pate, then by all means do so.

Have a nice lunch break!

Banh Mi

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus pickling time

Yield: Makes 4 sandwiches

Quick Pickles:

1 large carrot, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 (4-inch) daikon, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar

Spicy Mayo:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 to 2 teaspoons Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

For sandwich:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 to 1 pound cooked and shredded pork shoulder, chicken thigh meat or duck leg meat

4 crusty French dinner rolls or 1 French-style baguette cut into 4 (5-inch) pieces, split crosswise

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs

Optional: 1/3 cup pate

Quick-pickle the vegetables: Combine the carrot and daikon in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over and, using your fingers, rub the vegetables until the sugar and salt dissolve and the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the vinegar and let stand for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours). Drain before using.

Whisk all of the mayo ingredients in a small bowl. Chill until use.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, oil, hot sauce and coriander in a bowl. Add the meat and mix to thoroughly coat. Spread the meat in a small baking dish. Transfer to the oven and cook until crisp and slightly caramelized in parts, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once.

To assemble, spread about 1 tablespoon mayo on each bottom roll half. Top with a layer of cucumber, then mound some quick pickles over the cucumber. Top with the meat. Arrange the jalapeno slices over the meat and top with cilantro sprigs. Spread more mayo (or pate, if desired) on the top roll half. Serve immediately.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I don’t know why I overlook the humble lentil. These tiny legumes that resemble pancaked pebbles are often bypassed in my pantry, as I reach for grains and beans. When I finally do cook lentils, I remember how good they taste, how satisfying they are to eat, and how easy they are to prepare. Eminently flexible, lentils can stand in for a grain, starch, even a protein. They are healthy too -- rich in nutrients and high in protein, iron and fiber, arguably placing them neck and neck with other lauded foods in the super-food department. They also have the added benefit of being very easy on the wallet.

Lentils cook quickly and without any fuss, gamely absorbing the flavors and seasonings of their fellow ingredients and braising liquids, while adding a hearty, earthy and rich base to soups, stews, side dishes, even salads. This soup is a perfect example. It’s the essence of a simple lentil soup, with traditional seasonings and sauteed aromatics such as onion, carrot and thyme simmering in a good amount of stock. Yet it doesn’t stop there: Wilted kale leaves add balance and freshness to the feisty broth infused with spicy chorizo sausage, along with peppery and smoky paprikas, a dollop of tomato paste for fruity good measure, and another dollop of fiery harissa to boot.

In essence, this is a lentil soup and then some. It’s inspired by North African and southern Mediterranean flavors, which lend warmth and vibrance to what remains a remarkably humble and satisfying soup that passes for a delicious weeknight dinner.

Lentil, Sausage and Kale Soup

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups chicken stock

4 to 6 lacinato kale leaves, tough stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon harissa

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chorizo in one layer and brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pot.

Add the onion and carrot to the pot and saute until the onion softens and the carrot brightens in color, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and tomatoes and saute until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the lentils, stir to coat, and then add the tomato paste, thyme, the sweet and smoked paprika and the cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, until blended and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the stock, partially cover the pan, and simmer over medium-low heat until the lentils are tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes. Add the kale leaves and continue to simmer until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the harissa, brown sugar and vinegar, then add the salt and black pepper and taste for seasoning. Serve warm.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I was tempted to call this article "The Girl and the Pig," because I am hooked on bacon. More specifically, I am hooked on my own home-cured bacon. Prompted by a whole lot of time on my hands thanks to sheltering in place, as well as an affinity for charcuterie, I decided to have a go and cure pork belly, aka bacon. I am now here to say that you -- any of you -- can do this too, and once you try it, there will be no turning back. Not only are the results positively swoon-worthy, but the process is ridiculously simple, except that you need to plan ahead.

Curing pork belly takes time -- a week, in fact -- but don’t stop reading. There’s nothing to do in that week except designate a little refrigerator space to your DIY project and remember to flip the pork every other day. The hardest part will be waiting. To make this exercise in patience worthwhile, I encourage you to buy a good amount of pork belly. It’s not expensive, and you might as well reap a generous stash for the time it takes to cure.

All of this may beg the question: What to do with five pounds of home-cured bacon? (Oh, to be so lucky to have that problem.) Well, so far I’ve eaten quite a bit, frozen half, and given some away. While I often use bacon as an ingredient in salads, stews and pasta dishes, this bacon is so good, I only want to eat it straight up, fried in a skillet or baked in the oven. So, in the spirit of simplicity, I’ve included a recipe for caramelized bacon chips, roasted in the oven with sugar and spices.

Home-Cured Pork Belly

Recipe adapted from Saveur Magazine

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 3 hours and 20 minutes, plus 7 days curing time

Yield: Makes 5 pounds

5 pounds pork belly with skin

1/3 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Rinse the pork and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the pork on a large sheet of parchment paper.

Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves in a mortar or spice grinder. Coarsely pound or grind and then mix in the garlic. Smear the spices all over the pork. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag, turning to distribute the spices. Place on a rimmed baking tray and refrigerate for 7 days, flipping the bag every second day. After seven days, the pork should feel firm to the touch. If not, refrigerate an additional day and check again.

Remove the bacon from the bag and thoroughly rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish. Roast in the oven until the meat is brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 150 degrees, about 3 hours.

Transfer the bacon to a cutting board. Slice off the skin with a long, thin knife. Cool the bacon to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and cool completely. Once cold, cut into portions, if desired, and wrap in plastic. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.

Caramelized Bacon Chips

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time

Yield: Makes 12 ounces

1 cup light brown sugar

12 ounces thinly sliced bacon, cut in 2-to-3-inch strips

1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the sugar on a small plate. Dredge the bacon in the sugar, making sure that a good amount sticks. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a grill pan or in a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the cayenne and cinnamon over the bacon.

Transfer to the oven and bake until deep golden brown, without burning, turning once with a spatula, 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon to a plate lined with parchment paper. Cool completely. The chips will continue to crisp as they cool.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS