Cuban Cristo Recipes

EASY CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Place the pork tenderloin on the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic cloves, oregano, and cumin together and pour over the pork.
• Cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF. Thinly slice the meat and set aside.
• Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and then cut into 4 equal parts.
• Begin layering the ingredients by adding half of the cheese to the bottom layer of the sandwich bread. Top with the smoked ham, sliced pork, and pickles. Place the remaining cheese on top. Spread mustard on the top piece of bread and place on the sandwich.
• Melt the butter in a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and set a heavy skillet, such as an iron skillet, on top of the sandwiches to press them down. Once toasted flip the sandwich and repeat.
• Slice the sandwiches in half before servings.

MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH - THE REAL ONE

Steps:

• Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• Assemble sandwiches by placing one slice of turkey on one slice of bread, a slice of ham on another, then sandwich them with the Swiss cheese in the middle. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.
• Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

CUBAN SANDWICH (CUBANO)

Steps:

• Heat your skillet or griddle: I like to use two cast iron skillets nested on top of one another, pressing the sandwich in between. To use this method, place both skillets (one on top of the other) over medium heat and let them heat through. If using a panini press set it to medium heat. The skillet or griddle shouldn't be screaming hot, but it should radiate enough heat to toast the bread slowly. If you aren't using the double pan method or a panini press, just use anything you have to weigh the sandwich down - a foil wrapped brick, your spatula, whatever you have will do.
• Serve: Remove your sandwich from the skillet or griddle. Slice your sandwich according to the number of guests you need to serve and serve the sandwich with a handful of chips and a pickle or two. LEFTOVERS! Leftovers should be wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator. They may be reheated by cooking the same as above.

MONTE CUBANO

Steps:

• Spread 1 slice of bread with mustard and top with pickles, meats, and cheese. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then mix with mayonnaise. Spread on remaining slice of bread and assemble sandwich.
• Beat together egg, milk, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then soak sandwich in egg mixture.
• Melt butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook sandwich, uncovered, until underside is well browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook remaining side, covered, until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute.

CUBAN CRISTO

Steps:

• 1. Mix together the batter ingredients, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
• 2. Layer the sandwich on the bread. Begin with spreading mustard on the bread. Then add the ham, turkey, and Provolone cheese.
• 3. Next, add pickles and bacon.
• 4. Melt butter in the pan on low to medium heat.
• 5. Dip sandwich into batter.
• 6. Place in the melted butter and fry until golden brown (about 4 minutes on each side). Can deep or shallow fry if you want.
• 7. Serve with jelly or sauces. Jalapeno jelly would give it a kick.

CHEF JOHN'S MONTE CRISTO BENEDICT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Whisk 2 eggs, cream, white sugar, salt, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and allspice together in a bowl until batter is thoroughly combined.
• Lay bread slices into batter, one at a time, and let bread absorb the mixture. Turn bread slices in batter until almost all batter has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and melt butter in the hot skillet. Cook bread slices in the hot butter until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer French toast slices to a baking sheet.
• Lay ham slices into the hot skillet and cook until meat begins to brown, about 1 minute per side.
• To assemble, place a Cheddar cheese slice on a slice of French toast, top with 2 slices of ham, and lay a Havarti cheese slice over ham.
• Bake in the preheated oven until French toast pieces are no longer wet, the batter is set, and cheese has melted and begun to brown, about 20 minutes.
• Place sandwiches on serving plates and top each with 2 poached eggs. Season with kosher salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

MONTE CRISTO SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread bread with mayonnaise and mustard. Alternate ham, Swiss and turkey slices on bread.
• Beat egg and milk in a small bowl. Coat the sandwich with the egg and milk mixture. Heat a greased skillet over medium heat, brown the sandwich on both sides. Serve hot.