Cuban Sandwich

Description

It is generally believed that the cuban cigar workers who migrated to the tampa, fl area/ybor city back in the early 1900's brought the cuban sandwich to the us. Originally called the "mixto" or mixed sandwich, the cuban, as it is known today, became a workingman's lunch for those employed in the cigar industry. Note–if you can't get sour oranges in your area, try equal parts of orange and grapefruit juice or 2 parts orange juice to 1 part lemon juice and 1 part lime juice.

Ingredients

• Garlic Cloves
• Salt
• Dried Oregano
• Onion
• Orange Juice
• Spanish Olive Oil
• Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin Roast
• Cuban Bread
• Butter
• Dill Pickle
• Cooked Pork
• Ham
• Swiss Cheese
• Yellow Mustard
• Mayonnaise

Instructions

1. To make the cuban roast pork: mash the garlic and salt together using a mortar / pestle
2. Place the mash mixture in a small bowl
3. Add in oregano, onion, and sour orange juice
4. Mix thoroughly
5. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat
6. Add in the mash mixture and whisk to blend
7. Remove from heat and set marinade aside
8. Pierce the pork roast with a sharp knife or fork
9. Set aside a small amount of the marinade for use during the roasting period
10. Pour remaining marinade over the pork, cover, and refrigerate 2-3 hours
11. Preheat oven to 325
12. Remove pork from marinade and place on a rack in a roasting pan
13. Sprinkle reserved marinade over pork
14. Roast until completely cooked and a meat thermometer registers 160
15. Baste occasionally with the pan juices
16. Remove pork from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before thinly slicing the meat
17. Bring remaining pan juices to a boil and simmer until juice is reduced by half
18. Use this juice to sprinkle onto the meat in the sandwiches
19. To make the sandwiches: cut the bread into 4 sections, each about 8 inches long
20. Slice these sections in half horizontally
21. Spread butter on the inside of both halves
22. Generously layer sandwiches with filling ingredients in the following order: pickles, roasted pork, ham, and cheese
23. Spread with the optional mustard or mayonnaise if desired
24. Preheat a pancake griddle or large skillet
25. Lightly coat hot griddle or skillet with cooking spray
26. Add in the first sandwich
27. Place a heavy iron skillet on top of the sandwich to flatten it
28. Grill the sandwich for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden
29. Repeat the process for each sandwich
30. Slice each sandwich in half diagonally and serve