Cuban Press

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat sandwich press (see note below if you do not have a sandwich press).
2. 2
   Cut bread loaf into 6-inch long pieces. Spread cut sides of bread with butter if desired, or mustard, or both.
3. 3
   On the bottom slices of bread, layer sandwiches with generous portions of pickles, pork, ham, and cheese, in that order.
4. 4
   Place top bread slices on sandwiches, and coat both top and bottom bread slices (outer surfaces) with vegetable cooking spray.
5. 5
   Grill the sandwich for 4 to 5 minutes (2 to 3 minutes per side if using skillet and an iron pan for weight), or until bread is golden brown, cheese is melted, and sandwich is flattened.
6. 6
   Cut each sandwich on the diagonal and serve with plantain chips.
7. 7
   NOTE: Home cooks often have to improvise as many don't own sandwich presses. A waffle iron, panini grill, George Foreman grill, or bacon press will work. People have been known to cook the sandwich in a skillet and press it with a heated cast-iron frying pan or even a heated brick wrapped in aluminum foil.