Pressed Cuban Sandwich Recipes

CUBAN SANDWICHES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat a panini press or a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay bread, open side up, on a work surface and spread the bottom and top halves with mustard. Layer bottom and top halves with Swiss cheese. Working only on bottom halves, layer on all of the pickles, ham, roast pork, and salami (if using). Close sandwiches, pressing gently.
• Butter top and bottom of panini press and press sandwiches with moderate pressure until crisp on both sides, about 8 minutes. If using a cast iron skillet or griddle, melt half of butter in pan and add sandwiches. Use a second pan to press on them as the first side crisps. When crisp, flip sandwiches, add remaining butter, swirl to coat, and continue cooking while pressing until crisp on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Slice sandwiches in half diagonally and serve immediately.

ORIGINAL CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Cut Cuban bread to desired size, common size is 7 inches. Next, slice open the bread down the middle. On the topside of the bread spread 1-ounce of mustard, evenly across. Then place 4 pickles on top of the mustard. You then place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles. Slice ham to desired thickness, recommended size is 1 1/2 ounces per slice, the thinner the better. Now fold each slice of ham in half and place evenly on bottom of bread. On top of the ham, place slices of roast pork, 1 1/2 ounces per slice. You then join both halves of the sandwich. You are now ready to grill your Cuban sandwich.
• Use a sandwich grill if you have one, a waffle iron if not. Spread butter on top of the bread evenly. Close the grill, smashing the sandwich. Leave sandwich in the grill until top of bread turns to a golden brown, and top is crisp. Approximate time is 4 to 6 minutes. After the sandwich is crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally, from corner to corner. DO NOT USE A MICROWAVE OVEN!

CHEF JOHN'S CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne together in a bowl to make the sauce.
• Trim off ends of bread. Cut loaf in half and evenly split bread to make tops and bottoms of 2 sandwiches. Spread each half on both sides generously with the mayo/mustard sauce.
• Divide sandwich ingredients between the two bottom halves in this order: 2 slices Swiss cheese, 3 slices ham, hot cooked pork, pickle slices, and 2 more slices of Swiss cheese. Place tops on sandwiches.
• Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet and press down with a heavy weight (such as another skillet or foil-wrapped bricks). Toast sandwiches until bread is crisp and filling is heated through, 3 or 4 minutes per side.

PRESSED CUBAN SANDWICH WITH GARLIC DIJON BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• To make butter:.
• Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves); drizzle with oil. Wrap 1/2 head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp, mustard, and butter in a small bowl; set aside.
• Double this and save the butter to make more sandwiches later!
• To make sandwiches:.
• Scoop out inside of the roll halves, leaving a 1/2" shell. Spread about 2 teaspoons garlic butter over cut sides of top and bottom halves of each roll. Arrange pickles, turkey, ham, and cheese evenly on bottom halves of rolls; top with top halves.
• Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 sandwiches to pan. Place a heavy skillet on top of sandwiches, and press gently to flatten. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally, and serve immediately.