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| Pictured (almost) life-sized |
I wish I had a great story about my first Cuban sandwich. Truth is, I don't even remember when I first tried one. It just happened into my life, and then into my repertoire, and I really don't know how or why. I just know I love the richness of having pork two ways, covered in cheese and topped (or in this case, bottomed) with a pickle to cut through it all. It's a brilliant sandwich, and a big hit when I make these miniature versions for parties at work.
Now, as far as I know, the sandwich isn't from Cuba. The story I've heard is that it originated in Miami by Cuban immigrants, but wikipedia tells the story otherwise. Whatever its origins, it is pretty well established that it should have the ingredients above topped with a layer of yellow mustard. I'm not a huge fan of yellow mustard though, so I amend mine with mayo and Sriracha for a little more kick. It might not be traditional, but it is definitely good!
Little Cuban Sandwiches
1 Pork Tenderloin
4 oz thinly sliced ham
24 pickle slices
1 baguette or similar crusty bread
4 oz sliced Swiss cheese
Sriracha mayo (recipe below)
Coat the tenderloin in a good blend of spices (a little salt and pepper, paprika, garlic and cayenne will do nicely) and roast at 400 until done throughout; there are a lot of guidelines on what "done" is, but my experience is that 30-40 minutes is sufficient in my old oven. My advice - use a probe thermometer.
While the tenderloin is resting, slice your baguette into 24 slices, cutting on the diagonal. You want pieces thick enough to toast, but small enough to be bite-sized. 1/4-1/2 inch seems to be ideal. Arrange on a baking sheet and put under the broiler long enough to get a little color and crunch, then flip the bread over and repeat. Each side should only take a minute or two.
Here is where I should mention that the pork I'm using probably isn't traditional either. You could substitute any pork (pulled pork from you local BBQ place would be a good choice), but I like tenderloin for these sandwiches because, well, it is tender. I cut mine about the thickness of the bread, which always seems to yield some leftovers (see below if you need a use for leftover tenderloin).
From here, it is assembly. I put the pickle on first, because I like letting that juice soak into the bread a little. Then it is sliced pork, a couple of thin slices of ham, and a half-slice of cheese. Throw these back under the broiler until the cheese melts, then top with sriracha mayo and another slice of bread. I recommend serving these warm, but they hold up pretty well, so you could make them ahead if needed.
As for the leftovers, put it on crackers and have a snack while you wait for your guests.
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| A little sriracha mayo will perk up just about anything. |
Sriracha Mayo
There isn't really a recipe for this, so much as assembly directions. Mix one part yellow mustard with two parts mayo, then add sriracha to taste. I keep a bottle of this in my fridge, and I'd say the mix is half-cup mustard, full cup mayo, and 2-3 tablespoons of sriracha, but you can adjust according to your taste. It really should be sold in stores, as it is a fantastic addition to just about any sandwich.
