A plate of sandwiches and pickles on a wooden cutting board.

Comfort Food Day! – Cuban Sandwich

It’s comfort food day here on Magliano’s Comfort Food and our favorite day of the week! 😉

This week we are going to travel to each of the finalist team’s home country and we are going to indulge in their specific comfort food! 

Today we are honoring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which are an American football team with the headquarters in Tampa Bay, Florida, one of the proud finalists of this year’s Super Bowl and the proud winners as well!  

Now let’s talk Cuban…

Garlicky lechon marinated for 24 hours paired with sweet ham brined for seven days and Italian salami, topped with two slices of Swiss cheese and pickles for a punch of vinegar and extra crunch, all layered onto fluffy Cuban bread, brushed with mustard and butter and pressed until warm and crisp. It’s this classic combination of flavors pressed between Cuban bread that made the Cuban sandwich a legend in Tampa Bay.

Ham and cheese is one of those classic combinations. It’s straight forward but you may see it served differently depending on where you go…  Tampa Bay is a haven for Cuban cuisine and this classic marriage of meat-protein defines their go-to sandwich.

Cuban sandwiches in Tampa Bay are like Pizzas to New Yorkers.

We can’t say that we got this recipe from a certain site or blog. It is more of a mix when it comes to our inspiration. We watched a lot of videos on YouTube and we read a lot of articles on this subject to make sure that we bring you only the best of the best.

We are going to link some of them for you to understand the cooking process and the method behind this delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

  • Spanish Pork Ham (2 – 4 slices)
  • Mojo-Marinated Roast Pork (2 – 4 slices)
  • Italian Genoa Salami (4 slices)
  • German-Swiss Cheese (2 slices)
  • Cuban Bread (enough for 1 sandwich)
  • Mustard (1 tbsp)
  • Pickled Cucumbers (a few slices – to taste)
  • Butter (2 tbsp – melted)
  • Garlic (2 cloves – mashed with some salt and mixed with some melted butter) – Optional!

 

 

 

Preparation:

Spread the mustard over the first slice of Cuban bread, layer the ham, the roasted pork, the salami, and the Swiss cheese on it, top with the pickles and the final slice of Cuban bread that you previously smeared with the garlic (if you decide to use it…). Next, place the sandwich in a pan and use a brush to spread the melted butter all over the sandwich. Use another pan to press on it and help the cheese melt (or you could use a panini maker and just close the sandwich maker) until crisp on the outside and tender and gooey on the inside! Serve with some plantain chips, pickled cucumber, and tomato slices.

Enjoy! 🙂

 

Tips:

  • Feel free to leave the garlic out if you are not a fan.
  • You don’t need to use Cuban bread if you can’t get your hands on it! Any white bread will do…
  • Another ingredient you can skip is the Italian salami. In Miami, the Cuban sandwich is an institution as much as it is in Tampa Bay, and the difference between the two destinations is the lack of or addition of Italian salami. In Tampa salami, it’s a must and in Miami is a sacrilege! We say you should try both!! 😉

Sources: 

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