Cuban Press Recipes

CUBAN PRESS

Steps:

• Preheat sandwich press (see note below if you do not have a sandwich press).
• Cut bread loaf into 6-inch long pieces. Spread cut sides of bread with butter if desired, or mustard, or both.
• On the bottom slices of bread, layer sandwiches with generous portions of pickles, pork, ham, and cheese, in that order.
• Place top bread slices on sandwiches, and coat both top and bottom bread slices (outer surfaces) with vegetable cooking spray.
• Grill the sandwich for 4 to 5 minutes (2 to 3 minutes per side if using skillet and an iron pan for weight), or until bread is golden brown, cheese is melted, and sandwich is flattened.
• Cut each sandwich on the diagonal and serve with plantain chips.
• NOTE: Home cooks often have to improvise as many don't own sandwich presses. A waffle iron, panini grill, George Foreman grill, or bacon press will work. People have been known to cook the sandwich in a skillet and press it with a heated cast-iron frying pan or even a heated brick wrapped in aluminum foil.

THE ULTIMATE CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Begin by braising the pork shoulder. Tie the shoulder in 4 places with kitchen twine so it will hold its shape while being cooked or ask your butcher to do this for you. Season the pork with salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Set the base of a pressure cooker over low-medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil.
• Add garlic and chili flakes and as the oil heats up it will become fragrant and infuse the oil. Add the pork. Add onions around the pork and brown slightly before adding orange juice, lime juice, stock and bay leaves.
• Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your pressure cooker. The pork should be tender when done. When done allow to cool in juices before removing twine and slicing.
• To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, cheese, pickles, ham, pork then cheese again (the cheese glues everything together). Season with salt and pepper in between the ham and pork layers. (Optional: drizzle a little of the pork braising liquid over the meat as well).
• To cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the sandwiches on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. Serve with beans, rice and plantain chips.

PRESSED CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat a stovetop grill or sandwich press.
• Slice the sub rolls end to end. Spread the butter evenly on both rolls. Repeat the process with mustard. Lay the ham, cheese, and pickle slices evenly in the roll. Put the sandwiches in a press or on the grill and cook for about 6 minutes, or until warm through or toasted on the outside.

CUBAN PANINI

Steps:

• In a small skillet, cook and stir garlic in oil over medium-high heat until tender. Cool., Stir garlic into mayonnaise; spread over bread slices. Layer 4 slices of bread with turkey, ham, cheese, pickles and spinach; close sandwiches., Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill until browned and cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes.

GRILLED CUBAN SANDWICH (SANDWICH CUBANO)

Steps:

• Assemble the sandwich
• Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, pork, cheese, and, finally, pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.
• Wrap the sandwich in foil
• Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich and wrap it completely in aluminum foil.
• Press and grill the sandwich
• Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high (450°F) and continuing.
• Before grilling the sandwich, press down on it with your hands to flatten it. Place the wrapped, flattened sandwich on the grill and top with a brick, grill press, or any other heavy, heat-resistant object. Close the lid and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Remove the wrapped sandwich from the grill and take off the foil. Return the sandwich to the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until both pieces of bread are crispy and golden brown.
• Slice and serve
• Remove the sandwich from the grill and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedges (triangles). Place on a large platter and serve while still hot.