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How to make the classic, crusty Cuban sandwich

A Cuban sandwich is the stuff of which food memories are made. I still remember my first - enjoyed nearly 30 years ago at a small restaurant on Key Biscayne off the Miami coast. It was savory, it was crusty, it was delicious.

A traditional Cuban sandwich recipe calls for sliced ham, roast pork with a citrusy marinade (called mojo) and Swiss cheese layered in a loaf of Cuban bread. The sandwich is then garnished with pickles and mustard. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/MCT)
A traditional Cuban sandwich recipe calls for sliced ham, roast pork with a citrusy marinade (called mojo) and Swiss cheese layered in a loaf of Cuban bread. The sandwich is then garnished with pickles and mustard. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/MCT)Read moreMCT

A Cuban sandwich is the stuff of which food memories are made. I still remember my first - enjoyed nearly 30 years ago at a small restaurant on Key Biscayne off the Miami coast. It was savory, it was crusty, it was delicious.

What is a Cuban sandwich? Think of it like a golden, crispy submarine sandwich but without the lettuce, tomato, or other trimmings. Most recipes call for sliced ham, roast pork with a citrusy marinade (called mojo), and Swiss cheese layered in a loaf of Cuban bread, then garnished with pickles and mustard. The sandwich is heated in a sandwich press until warm and crusty, then sliced diagonally. Anything beyond that and you risk the ire of traditionalists who have a firm view of what makes a sandwich Cubano - and what does not.

Raquel Rabade Roque, the Miami-based author of The Cuban Kitchen, believes it's important to keep traditions and maintain the purity of the Cuban sandwich. Although she warns against heating and pressing the Cuban sandwich in a panini grill - the true sandwich doesn't sport grill marks - not everyone has access to the special sandwich press used in restaurants. The authors of Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban, brothers-in-law Glenn Lindgren, Raul Musibay, and Jorge Castillo, report good results warming the sandwiches on a griddle using a bacon press or heavy cast-iron pan to compress the Cuban.

Cuban sandwiches should, ideally, be made on Cuban bread, but you can use a French bread or crusty sub-type loaf. "Ideally, you need a loaf that is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside," Lindgren notes.

Mojo-marinated roast pork can be found at some ethnic and specialty markets, even some supermarket delis. But do consider marinating and roasting the pork yourself. It's easy, and you can make a dinner or two out of the meat (reserving leftovers for Cubans). The biggest challenge?Finding sour oranges. But you can achieve the desired tang with a mix of citrus. Use the mojo not just on pork but on beef, fish, chicken. My aunt in Miami even used it to marinated her Thanksgiving turkey.

Cuban Sandwich

Makes 1 sandwich

Slice half a loaf of Cuban bread horizontally (or use French or another crusty loaf). Spread yellow mustard on both halves. On bottom half, place 3 slices sweet Virginia ham, 3 slices roast pork (see recipe below) and 3 slices Swiss cheese. Follow with 4 slices sweet pickle. Place sandwich on a sandwich grill (or lightly greased skillet or griddle, weighting the sandwich with a heavy skillet). Cook until hot and cheese is melted. Slice in half diagonally and serve.

Roast Pork, Cuban Style

Makes 8 servings

Mash 1 head garlic (10-15 cloves, peeled) and 1 teaspoon each salt and black peppercorns into a paste using a mortar and pestle (or food processor). Stir in 1 cup freshly squeezed sour orange juice (or use two parts fresh orange to one part fresh lemon and one part fresh lime), 1 cup minced onion, and 2 teaspoons oregano. Let sit at room temperature, 30 minutes. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a saucepan until hot, about 220 degrees. Remove pan from heat; quickly whisk in the garlic-orange juice mixture until well blended. Let cool before using.

Pierce 1 pork shoulder roast (4 to 6 pounds) all over with a sharp knife or fork. Pour garlic mixture (save a little for basting while roasting) over pork. Cover; let sit in refrigerator, 2-3 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pork in a roasting pan; sprinkle marinade over pork. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees; cook until the meat is soft and pulls apart easily with a fork, 4 to 8 hours. Baste occasionally while roasting.

Remove pork from pan; allow to rest. Heat the pan juices to a boil; simmer until the juice is reduced by half. Sprinkle some juice onto the pork when you put it in the sandwich.