NPR News

Cubano

NPR

Published July 30, 2008 at 12:24 AM EDT

These panini-style sandwiches of citrus-braised pork, ham, salami and cheese are knock-dead delicious. Brushed with butter and then cooked on a grill pan, panini maker or even a griddle, the sandwiches are sold throughout Miami. It's the sliced pork that makes this sandwich special, but the additions of common ballpark mustard and dill sandwich pickles make it fun. As with the muffaletta, this sandwich is associated with a particular bread (you can find recipes for Cuban bread online), and I often bake the bread myself. A decent Italian bread also works. You will have to make the pork roast in advance.

Makes 8 sandwiches

Sandwich

Cooked citrus-braised pork roast, sliced

2 10-inch loaves Cuban bread or Italian bread

Yellow ballpark mustard

Butter

8 slices Swiss cheese

8 thin slices cooked ham

8 thin slices Genoa salami

Dill pickle slices (not kosher pickles)

Cut bread in half horizontally. Spread outsides of halves with butter and insides with yellow mustard. Add ham, salami, braised pork, cheese and pickles.

Heat a grill pan, panini maker or griddle to medium heat.

If you have a panini maker, press sandwich and cook until cheese melts.

If you're using a grill pan or griddle, press the sandwich with a baking sheet weighed down with a few canned goods. Turn the sandwich after about 7 minutes, and cook until browned.

Citrus-Braised Pork Roast

2-pound boneless pork shoulder

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1/3 cup dark rum

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

12 to 15 black peppercorns, cracked

3 large garlic cloves, crushed

Combine all ingredients in a zip-top bag and shake to mix. Marinate 24 hours, refrigerated, occasionally turning to make sure all sides of the meat are treated.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place roast in a Dutch oven and add marinade. Cover and cook for 3 hours, turning once or twice. If liquid gets too low, add some water.

When done, place on a cutting board, tented with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Cut in half and, exercising all of your willpower, set half aside for sandwiches tomorrow.