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Cubano Sandwiches from ‘Chef’

It’s always a fun movie night when the movie “Chef” is on. And what are you going to eat while you watch “Chef”? Cubano sandwiches, of course!

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First things first: “Chef” (which stars Jon Favreau, who also wrote and directed the movie) tells the story of Carl Casper, a chef who loses his job after disagreeing with the owner of the restaurant about which direction the menu should take. (Chef wants groundbreaking and creative; owner wants traditional dishes that are guaranteed sellers.) Carl heads off to Miami, where he refurbishes an old food truck and transforms it into a Cuban sandwich truck. He then embarks on an adventure driving back across the country with his best friend and his son, cooking food for appreciative crowds in every city. The movie also stars Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey Jr., Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo, and Oliver Platt.

But the real star of the movie is the food: Throughout the movie you’ll watch Chef Casper making cubanos that are so good they make people swoon. And when you see that butter sizzle on the sandwich press and the cheese starts to melt… you’ll definitely want some too. If you want the most authentic version from the movie, see Roy Choi’s Cubano recipe. But if you don’t have time to do the whole pork shoulder marinating and roasting thing, or if you don’t happen to have sliced roast pork on hand, you can do a quickie version (purists, avert your eyes) by substituting bacon for the pork. It’s still that tasty.

Cubano Sandwiches

3 from 1 vote
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Easy Cubano Sandwiches

A quick version of a classic Cubano sandwich
Course Main Course
Cuisine Cuban
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Author Jeanne Fratello

Ingredients

  • 4 6- inch soft baguettes
  • 4 T. butter softened
  • 8 slices thinly sliced ham
  • 8 slices thinly sliced cooked pork - or substitute 8 strips bacon cooked
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese
  • 1 large pickle cut lengthwise into very thin slices
  • 1 T. yellow mustard
  • 1 T. mayonnaise

Instructions

  1. Slice the baguettes in half lengthwise and brush the open faces with a small amount of butter. Grill the bread, open face down, on a griddle on medium heat until just barely golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Cook the ham on the griddle until lightly brown, just about 1 minute on each side. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the sandwiches: On the bottom slice of each baguette, layer two slices of ham, two strips of bacon, two slices of Swiss cheese, and two thin slices of pickle.
  4. Combine the mustard and mayonnaise. Brush a thin layer of the mayo-mustard mix on the inside of the top slice of each baguette (that is, over the part that you've already lightly griddled). Place the top slice on top of each baguette to make a complete sandwich.
  5. Brush the outside top and bottom of each baguette lightly with butter. Press in a sandwich press for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the sandwich is golden brown. (If you don't have a sandwich press, put the sandwich on a griddle and press it down with a heavy pan; then flip, cooking for about 2 minutes on each side.)

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The first time we made them, our kids gobbled them up for lunch… and then asked for more. And we’re not just talking about omnivore kids here; we’re also talking about at least one picky eater who doesn’t like melted cheese or condiments. Yet he had no complaints at all as he polished off his extra-large cubano with “the works.”

Movie night tip: Cut the sandwiches into small squares or strips for bite-sized snacking.

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How to make Cubano sandwiches from the movie “Chef”

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5 Responses to Cubano Sandwiches from ‘Chef’

  1. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious February 23, 2015 at 7:34 am #

    Dang it…now I want YOUR Cubano, for BREAKFAST! That’s allowed, right?

    • Jeanne February 23, 2015 at 10:31 am #

      LOL – Heck, yeah, Dorothy!

  2. Margot April 30, 2016 at 3:27 pm #

    3 stars
    I loved “Chef” and my sister and I once spent my visit with her in Florida eating our way to the best Cuban sandwich! This just might be it! Thank you.

    • Jeanne May 10, 2016 at 1:13 pm #

      Great! Thanks for stopping by!

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