SANDWICHES: THE CUBAN CONNECTION (2024)

Visit any Cuban restaurant or loncheria (snack bar) in Miami, and you'll find a display case filled with roast pork, country ham, sliced turkey and cheese, and a dozen other fixings for sandwiches. Baguette-like Cuban breads and shiny sweet rolls are piled high in baskets. Whole serrano hams hang overhead. The sandwiches, usually assembled in the morning, are cooked right before serving.

The focal point of the sandwich shop is the plancha, a hinged grill that looks like an oversized waffle iron. Just before serving, the sandwiches are brushed with butter (or more often margarine) and toasted until golden brown. The plancha flattens the sandwich, heats the filling and crisps the bread.

Three types of bread are used to make Cuban sandwiches. Pan cubano (Cuban bread) is a long, light-crusted loaf that looks like an anemic French bread. Pan de leche (milk bread) is a white bread with a fine crumb similar to American country-style sandwich bread. Pan suave (sweet bread) is a slightly sweet egg bread that resembles Jewish challah.

The most famous Cuban sandwich is the media noche (the midnighter), a satisfying combination of ham, cheese, and roast pork on a toasted sweet roll. Traditionally eaten after a movie or a show, the media noche is a relatively small sandwich -- designed for late-night snacking without sending you to bed feeling stuffed.

The emparedado is the Cuban version of "the works" -- an oversize sandwich of cooked ham, country ham, roast pork, cheese and pickles served on Cuban bread rubbed with garlic. In Oriente, a province in eastern Cuba, emparedados are made with chopped roast pork sprinkled with chilies, chopped onions and garlicky mojo (lime sauce). Emparedado literally means "walled in."

One of the most widely enjoyed Cuban sandwiches is pan con lechon, freshly roasted pork on Cuban bread, spiced up with thinly sliced onions and mojo. Like Peking duck, a good pan con lechon will include a crisp shard of pork skin or cracklings to give crunch to the meat.

One of the most curious Cuban sandwiches is the Elena Ruz, made with sliced turkey, strawberry jam and cream cheese on a sweet roll. Named for a Havana debutante of the 1920s, it is popular at merienda (afternoon tea) and reflects the Cuban fondness for dishes that are both salty and sweet.

Another favorite is the "Calle Ocho" (8th Street Special) -- a belly-bludgeoning assortment of ham, turkey, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on Cuban bread. This is a specialty of Miami's famous Versailles restaurant, located on Calle Ocho in the heart of Little Havana.

Cuban sandwiches, which are great for snacking or parties, are easy to make, although ingredients or equipment may require some improvising. If you live near a Latino bakery, you will probably be able to find Cuban breads. Lacking these, the best substitute for pan cubano is the long, soft French or Italian breads you find at the supermarket (a high-quality bakery baguette is too crusty). Challah or brioche makes a good substitute for pan suave.

In the absence of a plancha, the sandwiches can be cooked in a frying pan with a weight (like a heavy skillet) on top. You can also use an electric sandwich-maker, but you'll have to make smaller sandwiches.

Below is a selection of Cuban sandwiches. I'm sure Dagwood would approve.

MEDIA NOCHE

(1 sandwich)

The midnighter was created as a late-night snack. These days, it's enjoyed round the clock.

1 bullet-shaped, slightly sweet roll, about 7 inches long, or a section of Cuban, French or Italian bread the same length

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced cold roast pork

1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham

1 ounce sliced Swiss cheese

3 thin slices of tomato (optional)

1 or 2 iceberg lettuce leaves (optional)

3 to 4 slices of pickle (optional)

Approximately 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Slice open the roll. Spread the bottom with mayonnaise, the top with mustard. Layer the pork, ham, and cheese on the sandwich and top with tomato, lettuce, and pickle. Lightly butter the outside of the sandwich. Place it in a skillet over medium heat. Place a weight on top. Cook the sandwich for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until crusty and golden brown, turning once, adding butter as necessary. Alternatively, make smaller sandwiches and cook them in a sandwich-maker. (Recipe can be multiplied as desired.)

Per serving: 820 calories, 42 gm protein, 76 gm carbohydrates, 37 gm fat, 16 gm saturated fat, 127 mg cholesterol, 1801 mg sodium

ELENA RUZ

(Makes 1 sandwich)

At first glance, combining turkey, cream cheese and strawberry jam may seem odd, if not downright off-putting. But consider that poultry (especially pheasant) is often served with cumberland sauce (made with red currant preserves). Actually, the combination is as tasty as it is unexpected.

1 bullet-shaped, slightly sweet roll, about 7 inches long, or a section of Cuban, French or Italian bread the same length

2 tablespoons cream cheese

2 tablespoons strawberry jam

3 ounces sliced turkey breast (preferably from a whole turkey, not turkey roll)

Approximately 1 tablespoon butter

Slice open the roll. Spread the bottom with cream cheese and the top with strawberry jam. Layer the turkey breast on one slice of the bread and top with the other.

Lightly butter the outside of the sandwich. Place it in a skillet over medium heat. Place a weight on top. Cook the sandwich for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until crusty and golden brown, turning once, adding butter as necessary. Alternatively, make smaller sandwiches and cook them in a sandwich-maker. (Recipe can be multiplied as desired.)

Per serving: 719 calories, 38 gm protein, 82 gm carbohydrates, 26 gm fat, 14 gm saturated fat, 133 mg cholesterol, 828 mg sodium

PAN CON LECHON

(1 sandwich)

Technically speaking, lechon is roast suckling pig. Most shops make this sandwich with roasted pork shoulder -- the greasier the better! For the best results, make the sandwich when the pork is still warm. The traditional condiment for this sandwich is mojo, a sort of vinaigrette made with lime juice, cumin and garlic.

Approximately 9-inch section of Cuban, Italian, or French bread

4 ounces coarsely chopped or thinly sliced roast pork (include a little of the crisp edges or fat)

1 small onion, thinly sliced, or to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons mojo (see recipe below)

Approximately 1 tablespoon butter

Slice open the roll. Place the pork in the center and top with thinly sliced onion. Spoon the mojo over the meat and onions. Lightly butter the outside of the sandwich. Place it in a skillet over medium heat. Place a weight on top. Cook the sandwich for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until crusty and golden brown, turning once, adding butter as necessary. Alternatively, make smaller sandwiches and cook them in a sandwich-maker. (Recipe can be multiplied as desired.)

Per serving without mojo: 800 calories, 47 gm protein, 81 gm carbohydrates, 31 gm fat, 13 gm saturated fat, 138 mg cholesterol, 961 mg sodium

MOJO (Garlic Lime Sauce)

(Makes 1/3 cup)

Cuba's national table sauce, mojo is traditionally made with naranjas agrias (sour oranges), a fruit that looks like an orange but tastes like a lime. Excellent results can be obtained using lime juice.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup lime juice or sour orange juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and toasted but not brown. Add the lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. (Stand back: the sauce may sputter.) Briefly bring the sauce to a rolling boil. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Mojo, per tablespoon serving: 50 calories, 0 gm protein, 1 gm carbohydrates, 5 gm fat, 1 gm saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium

Steven Raichlen is a Miami-based cooking teacher and freelance writer.