Tangy, rich, spicy, chewy, crunchy, and gooey...let me count the ways I love a Cubano. The origin of the Cuban sandwich (Cubano) is a hotly debated topic within the Cuban American community, especially between the communities in Tampa and Miami. There is some agreement that the original template for the Cubano came from the indigenous Taino people of Cuba. Like so many dishes that persist over time and are adopted by different cultures, the Cubano has evolved over time from the Taino “sandwich” made with cassava bread stuffed with fish or fowl and local spices. When the Spaniards arrived in Cuba, they introduced pork and ham and yeast dough bread. It is widely believed that the Cubano was first introduced to the United States by Cuban cigar workers in the 1800s who carried the Cuban sandwich in their lunch boxes. The addition of mustard, pickles, and different kinds of cheeses was possibly introduced by other immigrants working alongside the Cubans. In Tampa, the Cubano has salami in it, which is vigorously derided by the Cubans in Miami who claim their version is the original. Who knows? There is agreement that Florida made the Cubano famous. Apart from the addition of salami or not, the classic modern Cubano uses Cuban bread that is light on the inside and somewhat crusty on the outside, like a French baguette, but with the addition of lard and the flavor of palmetto leaf to the ingredients. The traditional Cubano is filled with mojo roasted pulled pork (similar to Puerto Rican Pernil), thinly sliced ham, mustard, sliced cheese, and sliced dill pickle. The sandwich is assembled, slathered with butter, and fried weighted down on a hot griddle (a la plancha) until the cheese has melted and the bread crust is crisp.

Here in rural western Massachusetts, authentic Cuban bread is difficult if not impossible to find, so I had to adapt. This is the way I make a Cubano.

INGREDIENTS
a French Batard sliced lengthwise,
left-over pulled pork (Pernil),
sliced ham,
Swiss cheese,
Dijon mustard (in place of yellow mustard),
some mild marinated banana peppers,
and a slice of dill pickle.

METHOD
1. Once the sandwich is assembled, depending on how true you choose to be to the classic Cubano method, you can butter the crust of the bread and fry it on a heavy skillet, and weighted down with a second skillet on top (a panini grill also works well) about five minutes per side until the cheese melts and the crust is crisp.
2. Alternatively, you can butter and fry the inside face of the sliced bread until it’s browned and crusty.
3. Coat the browned side of the bread with mustard, heap on the pork, ham, and peppers, and top with a slice of Swiss cheese.
4. Pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted, place the pickle on top, and add the top piece of browned bread. Instead of the traditional “flat” Cubano, this gives you a “tall” Cubano. Either way, that’s a delicious sandwich! Buen provecho!