Although the Cuban sandwich has been fighting for years on the other side of the pond, in Spain it did not become popular until 2014. Many of us have the images of the movie “Chef” engraved in our memory, with Carl Casper and his son preparing and selling this sandwich in his food truck left and right.
A scrumptious sandwich perfect for meat lovers. The Cuban sandwich is very easy to prepare and takes little time, ready in less than 15 minutes. We have followed the recipe in the book Cuba Gastronomy to the letter, so we dare to affirm that this is how the authentic Cuban sandwich is made.
The origin of the Cuban sandwich is unclear, in fact a couple of theories circulate about it. The first, our favorite, points out that this sandwich was the joint invention of the workers of a cigar factory located in Ybor City, Florida. Immigrants from all over the world, Italians contributed the salami; the Cubans, the roast pork; the Spanish, the ham; and the Germans, pickles and mustard. A filling snack that they ate during breaks from their long working hours.
On the other hand, in Miami there is a belief that it is originally from Cuba and that it was already sold in Havana throughout the 20th century. The Cuban sandwich appears in the cookbooks of the National Gastronomy Section of the Ministry of Internal Commerce during the 1970s, where the use of mortadella instead of salami is recorded.
Ingredients
For 2 persons
Dijon mustard
10 g
Individual ciabatta bread
2
Sliced cooked ham
4
Sliced salami
6
Sliced roast pork loin
6
Sliced Swiss cheese
4
Large pickle
3
Butter at room temperature
10 g
How to make Cuban sandwich
Difficulty: Easy
Total time
15 m
Elaboration
10 m
Cooking
5m
Cut the loaves in half, lengthwise, and spread the inside of the lid with mustard. In the other halves of the bread we are placing the ingredients: the ham, the salami, the loin, the cheese and the pickle (previously sliced). It is important to respect the order of the ingredients.
We close the sandwiches with the lids and brush the surface of each one with butter. If we melt it for a few seconds in the microwave, the task will be easier. We place the sandwiches on a griddle, grill or sandwich maker, close and let the bread toast for a few minutes.
If we have an iron with adjustable heat, we put it at a soft temperature so that the cheese melts slowly. Once ready, we cut the Cuban sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
With what to accompany the Cuban sandwich
In the aforementioned book, it is recommended to serve the Cuban sandwich with a salad of lettuce, tomato and onion dressed with a classic vinaigrette. We add a very fresh beer and round out the whole. With this, an informal lunch or dinner is served, but well complete.
