I always love a good, hearty sandwich for dinner. (Especially in the summer when we’ve been out and about and spending the day grazing!). For me, the star of this show was the simplified homage to kimchi (which I love but am in the minority in my house). Using the thinly sliced pork chops means it comes together in minutes on the grill if you’ve prepped the veggies before.

Pickled Vegetables

• 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion (red or white), thinly sliced
• 1 carrot peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Meat

• 6 – 8 thinly sliced pork chops
• Chinese Five Spice
• Black pepper
• olive oil

To Finish

• 4 Ciabatta rolls
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Mayo

Let’s Cook!

1. Make the pickled vegetables. A mason jar works perfectly here. Just add everything, shake it up, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (shaking now and then to keep things mixed).
2. Cook day! Brush the chops with olive oil and season generously with five spice and pepper. Grill until just barely pink in the center — mine were super thin and only took about 8 minutes total.
3. Toast the rolls cut-side down on the grill during the last minute or two of cooking.
4. Time to assemble:
   • Mayo on both sides of the roll
   • A layer of hot grilled pork
   • A pile of pickled vegetables
   • A sprinkle of cilantro for brightness.

The hot debate on my house was the use to cheese slices. I opted to keep it simple, but no sandwich was ever ruined by adding cheese!

Eat well friends!

Before you go—come join me at the table! Gather & Savor is my laid-back Substack where I share the recipes, stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and seasonal favorites that make life delicious. I’d love to have you there. Take a look and subscribe!