Spicy Stacked Cuban Sandwiches Food

CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the pickles: Combine the vinegar, dill, sugar, salt, coriander and mustard in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Put the cucumbers in a medium bowl, pour the pickling liquid over, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
• For the sour orange glaze: Combine the orange juice and lime juice in a small nonreactive saucepan over high heat and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the honey and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.
• For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Season the pork with salt and pepper and rub with the steak rub. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
• Heat the oil over high heat in a cast-iron pan or oven-proof skillet until it begins to shimmer. Add the pork and cook until a crust has formed on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Brush liberally with the sour orange glaze and transfer the pan to the oven. Brush with the glaze every few minutes, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Remove the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice the pork thinly.
• For the garlic mayonnaise: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisk together and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• For the serrano ham: Heat the oil in a small saucepan until it reaches 350 degrees F. Add the ham one slice at a time and cook until crisp, about 30 seconds. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
• To serve: Spread the top and bottom of each bun with the garlic mayonnaise and top each piece with 2 slices of cheese. Put some pickles on the bottom piece of bun. Top with 4 to 5 slices of the pork and 2 slices of the fried ham. Combine the tops and bottoms to make the sandwiches.
• Brush the outsides of the buns with the butter. Heat a cast-iron pan over low heat. Put 2 sandwiches in at a time, top-sides down, and press with a brick wrapped in foil, or put foil over the top of the sandwiches and weigh them down with another heavy cast-iron pan. Cook until the bread is crispy, then flip over and continue cooking until the bottom is crispy and the cheese has melted, 6 to 8 minutes total. Slice in half and eat.

THE ULTIMATE CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Begin by braising the pork shoulder. Tie the shoulder in 4 places with kitchen twine so it will hold its shape while being cooked or ask your butcher to do this for you. Season the pork with salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Set the base of a pressure cooker over low-medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil.
• Add garlic and chili flakes and as the oil heats up it will become fragrant and infuse the oil. Add the pork. Add onions around the pork and brown slightly before adding orange juice, lime juice, stock and bay leaves.
• Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your pressure cooker. The pork should be tender when done. When done allow to cool in juices before removing twine and slicing.
• To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, cheese, pickles, ham, pork then cheese again (the cheese glues everything together). Season with salt and pepper in between the ham and pork layers. (Optional: drizzle a little of the pork braising liquid over the meat as well).
• To cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the sandwiches on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. Serve with beans, rice and plantain chips.

SPICY CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken breast with salt and pepper and set aside. Mix the flour and cayenne in a shallow dish or bowl. Stir together the egg, buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce in a second shallow dish or bowl. Add the breadcrumbs to a third shallow dish. Coat each chicken breast by dredging in the flour mix, then dipping in the egg/buttermilk mixture and then finally in the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
• To a bowl, add the remaining cup of Louisiana hot sauce and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Mix together and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil and remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. When the oil is hot and the butter has melted, add the chicken pieces to the skillet and fry until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. One by one dip the crisp chicken into the Louisiana hot sauce and butter mixture, turning to coat completely.
• Serve on the toasted buns with tons of pickles.

SPANISH "CUBAN" SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for direct and indirect grilling over medium heat. Heat the plancha, or a cast-iron griddle, over the direct heat.
• Spread the mayonnaise on the bottom of the rolls. Top with half the Manchego and ham. Then, top with the Spanish Spice Rubbed Pork Butt and arugula. Top with the remaining half the Manchego and ham. Spread the mustard on the top half of the rolls. Place the tops on the sandwich and brush with the Piquillo Pepper Butter.
• Place the sandwiches butter-side down on the griddle. Place the bricks on top of the sandwiches and cook until the bread is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully: if the bread browns too quickly, move the plancha to indirect heat and cover the grill to melt the Manchego. Flip the sandwiches over and place the bricks back on top. Continue cooking until the bottom of the sandwiches are crisp and the Manchego is melted, about 3 minutes.
• Blend the butter, piquillo peppers, garlic, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth. Scrape the butter into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before using. Soften the butter slightly before using.