Cuban Sandwich
MMMMM Gooey cheese. Warm pork and ham. Crunchy pickles. Crisp bread. The beginning of a glorious friendship. Ever since season 3 of Top Chef when they had the late night snack wagon challenge and Howie tried to do his version of a cuban sandwich and royally screwed it up, have I wanted to make one myself. Now I'm not Cuban. I don't think I know anyone who is Cuban, and I've never been to Cuba. So I knew I needed to find a recipe that was authentic but could be adapted to my very rural surroundings. Living so far north of Cuba and wayyyyy out in the country means you don't get a good variety of specialty foods. Heck we don't even get a variety! So I was lucky to find a recipe that told me some of the things that could be substituted and still keep within the spirit of a good cuban sandwich.
Here we have a loaf of French Bread (not a baguette), sliced roast pork, sliced pickles, smoked provolone, butter and mustard.
And some sliced ham. We are lucky to have this succulent Kentucky ham at our local store so I sliced some up for mine.
Now most recipes call for the sandwich to be weighted down with a brick on a griddle. However, I don't have a brick, but I do have this nifty panini press. So I plugged it in so it would be hot when I was ready.
I cut the loaf in half crosswise, then those halfs horizontally. Then spread the insides of both with butter.
First go the pickles, then the pork and ham. Be generous.
Then top with cheese and mustard, if you desire.
Then place the whole thing on your press or griddle (with weight) and start to squish. And keep applying gentle pressure till all the cheese is melted, the meat is warmed through and the bread is crispy.
Remove to a cutting board and slice. Serve with chips, or pasta salad or whatever you choose. I ate mine alone. Better to savor all the flavors without muddling it up with superfluous nonsense. So if you live in or near a Big City, first count yourself lucky, then go out and buy the ingredients to make this quick and delicious sandwich tonight.
Enjoy!
Cuban Sandwich
Serves 2
Small loaf french bread
1/2 lb roast pork, sliced
4 slices good cooked ham
1 sliced pickle, such as Vlasic Stackers
6 slices provolone or swiss cheese
butter
mustard (optional)
Cut bread in half, then slice horizontal. Butter the insides. Layer pickle, pork, ham, and cheese. Squirt with mustard. Top with other half of bread. Place on griddle or panini press and squish till cheese is melted, meat is warmed through and bread is crisp. Slice and enjoy.