Ciudad's Cuban Pressed Sandwiches
Makes one long Cuban baguette or three sandwiches
1 lb. thinly sliced ham
1 lb. pork butt
Sofrito
1 green bell pepper
1 red pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
½ lb. Swiss cheese
20 pickle slices
6 oz. mayonnaise
3 oz. garlic essence (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roughly chop the peppers, garlic and herbs. Place them in a food processor, add the oil and salt and blend until smooth.
Marinate the pork in the Sofrito for one hour before roasting. Roast the pork with the Sofrito for 1-1½ hours. Thinly slice after it cools.
To assemble the sandwich, cut the Cuban baguette in half lengthwise and spread mayonnaise and garlic essence on both sides. Layer the roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles on the bottom half. Brush the top of the baguette with melted butter and put it on the sandwich. Press the sandwich in a sandwich press or in a medium hot skillet weighted with another skillet for 2 minutes on each side. Finish warming in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes.
Garlic Essence
10 cloves garlic
¼ - ½ cup white vinegar
Put garlic cloves in a small pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and drain. Repeat two more times. This will make the garlic soft and remove bitterness. Puree the soft blanched garlic with the white vinegar until it's spreadable.
