The Cuban sandwich — or “Cubano” — is an institution unto itself. Walk down Calle Ocho in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, and you’d be hard-pressed to not find a café selling “sandwich mixto” along with little cups of intense Cuban coffees. This classic sandwich is made with a mix of sliced ham, slow-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, and dill pickles on Cuban bread slathered with mustard. The whole thing is then pressed to make what is certainly the best ham and cheese sandwich I’ve ever had.
The desire for Cuban sandwiches is the perfect excuse to roast a pork shoulder, just so you can use the leftovers to make this sandwich. I talked with Ana Sofia Pelaez, author of The Cuban Table, before getting down to business and making my first Cuban sandwich, and I’m so glad I did. She told me this: “A great Cuban sandwich has the right balance of citrus marinated pork, sweet ham, and sharp Swiss cheese. The bread should have a delicate eggshell crust and airy interior that gives way under the press. If a little cheese peeks out and crisps on the grill then so much the better.”
