Week Five: Hoisin Sloppy Joes

There are just some things that I never ate as a kid. Sloppy Joes are at the top of the list. My mom never made them and the toxic offerings in school cafeterias never won me over.  But, when I ran across a version of this Asian influenced recipe online, I was intrigued. I'm always searching for dishes that can be cooked on the stove top, particularly if the pan doesn't need to get scorching hot (which my electric double burner doesn't... oh how I day dream for a gas range...). The original version had fewer ingredients: no vegetables and less spice, so I punched it up just a bit. This dish is pretty healthy and also done (from chopping to putting it on the plate) in under 30 minutes. It also developed some extra flavor overnight and was particularly tasty for lunch leftovers.

Hoisin Sloppy Joes

Fresh Ingredients
One pound ground turkey
One medium onion, diced
One small green pepper, diced
One small red pepper, diced
Two carrots, peeled and diced
Two cloves of garlic, smashed into a paste
One inch or so of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Hefty handful of Cilantro, chopped
The juice of one lime
Four fresh rolls


Pantry Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup hoisin
Cayenne Pepper
Sriracha 
Salt

1. Start by heating some olive oil in a pan and sweating down the onion. After a few minutes of the onion cooking, add the carrots. A few minutes later add the green and red peppers, garlic, ginger and the cayenne (I used a few dashes- but I don't like food that is really spicy). Add a dusting of kosher salt and sweat down with the lid on until all the vegetables have softened. (About 8-10 minutes from the time you start with the onion.)

2. Add the ground turkey and brown, stirring frequently to break up the turkey. Cook through and then add the tomato sauce, hoisin, and sriracha (again, this is a taste thing- start with a little and then add more if you want more heat). Cook down for about 5-7 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. Serve over a roll (toasted or untoasted! your choice).

* This dish is pretty easy to make gluten free if you happen to have GF Hoisin sauce and can use a GF roll. It was also easily become a vegetarian or vegan dish by subbing in textured vegetable product, tofu or maybe even some canned beans in the place of the turkey.

Since some of the flavors in this dish are close to that of a bahn mi sandwich, I think a little pickled vegetable salad or a nice vinegary slaw could help round out the sweetness and give this sandwich an even fresher taste.