Medianoche (Cuban Pressed sandwich)
- Serves: 6
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Total Cooking time: 10 minutes
This is a traditional sandwich served in the ethnic Cuban quarter of any major city in Florida. With a history behind the recipe that is as interesting as the recipe is delicious. The name medianoche actually translates as Midnight in Spanish. Because at one time this was a cheap and filling meal served to migrant Cuban factory workers as they typically ended their long and tiring workday around 12:00 midnight. Nowadays while you may or may not be ending your workday around midnight, one thing is for certain, this is a wonderful way to make use of leftover roast pork
| Amount | Measure | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | sweet | French or Hoagie Rolls split in half lengthwise |
| 2 | lbs | thinly sliced Citrus Marinated Roast Pork loin |
| 2 | cups | Yellow Onion, thinly sliced |
| 4 | tbsp | Butter or margarine |
| 6 | oz | cheddar or provolone cheese sliced |
| 2 | large | crunchy garlic dill pickles sliced “stacker style” |
| 1/4 | cup | spicy whole grain mustard |
To prepare:
Sauté the yellow onions in a large heavy bottomed skillet in 2tbsp butter over medium heat until translucent and caramelized (they will turn a deep honey brown when done). Set aside and cool. Spread mustard evenly on each of the cut surfaces of the rolls, and then stack each with approximately 5oz of sliced pork on each roll. Next place 2 slices of cheese, and 2tbsp caramelized onions and 2 slices of pickle. Assemble sandwiches with top half of roll and spread remaining butter on top and bottom of roll. Place in a heated skillet and brown bottom of sandwich, then flip over and place a second heavy bottomed pan on top of sandwich and press down hard to flatten bread, sear 2-3 minutes then flip over and press again another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Slice sandwich in half diagonally and serve with caramelized onions or spicy mustard for garnish.
