Doesn’t everyone have a favorite movie – one that you can watch over and over and not get tired of it.  In my house, it’s “Chef”.  Jon Favreau plays a burned out chef who rediscovers his passion for cooking and his relationship with his son by opening a food truck and touring with it from Miami to Los Angeles, becoming famous along the way.  One dish he’s mastered in the film is the Cuban sandwich, finished perfectly on a panini press.  Roasted pork and ham, with melted cheese, creamy mayo and pickles make a perfect combination on fluffy bread with an outside crunch.  It’s a great sandwich and a fun one to make – one of those recipes that you pull out every once in a while to share with friends or make for family and it’s enjoyed by everyone.

Cuban sandwiches, or “Cubanos”, are said to have originated in either Key west or Tampa, Florida and became famous in Miami. In this recipe, I’ve made them into sliders so they’re easy to share on a buffet or parcel out to little hands.

And, it’s a great way to use leftover pulled pork from your 4th of July BBQ.  Don’t have leftovers?  A helpful little birdie at the Getwell Kroger told me that Boston Butt (your ideal cut for pulled pork) is going on sale for less than $1 per pound Wednesday the 6th.  If you want or need to make your own pulled pork, check out tutorials by Malcom Reed or Heath Riles online.  You can also find pre-cooked pulled pork at Sam’s or Costco that would work well.  

Cuban Sandwich Sliders

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Ingredients

  

• 1 package prepared dinner rolls or Hawaiian sweet rolls 12 count
• 12 Tbsp butter 1 ½ sticks
• 1 pound prepared pulled pork OR 1 small boston butt pork roast
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 8-10 large slices of deli ham
• 8-10 large slices of swiss cheese½ cup dill pickle slices
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 2 tsp fresh parsley finely chopped
• Adobo seasoning or Trader Joe’s Garlic Citrus Cuban seasoning

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and spread evenly in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Remove the dinner/Hawaiian rolls from the packaging (they should be the kind that are connected in 3 rows of 4).  With a sharp, serrated knife slice horizontally through the middle of the rolls and carefully remove the tops in one piece.  Place the bottoms carefully in the casserole dish on top of the butter.
• In a saute pan, melt the remaining butter and saute the onions over medium heat until translucent.  Whisk in 2 tablespoons of Adobo or Cuban seasoning.  Set aside.
• Begin to layer the ingredients.  Spread mayonnaise evenly over the bottoms of the buns.  Top with pulled pork, then ham, cheese and pickles.  Sprinkly on the cilantro.  Carefully transfer the top half of the buns on top and then spread the butter/onion mixture on the tops.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
• Serving suggestion:  with pineapple slices, fried plantains, or your favorite chips
• Enjoy!