Cubanos

Last Year's Post:  Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Two Years Ago:    Farro and Kale Salad

This is another installment in my occasional and erratic series of famous sandwiches of the world.  Past posts have included pan bagnat, banh mi, Italian tuna, chicken schnitzel, and buffalo chicken sliders to name a few.  Cubanos originated in Florida and are made with Cuban rolls, roast pork, ham, pickles, Swiss cheese and mustard, all pressed together on a griddle or grill until warm and crisp.  Outside of Miami they also often include salami.  Although the most authentic version calls for yellow mustard, I used a combination of both whole grain and Dijon mustards for different textures and flavors.  And again although Cuban bread is authentic, you probably won't find it outside of a Mexican market in most cities.  Any soft oblong roll will work - just don't use a hard crusty French roll because it won't compress and crisp they way it should.

If you can find roast pork in the deli, that's great, otherwise plan to make Cubanos with the leftovers next time you make a pork roast or tenderloin.  Use the best quality Swiss cheese you can find, and slice everything as thinly as possible.  Placing cheese on both the top and bottom of each roll ensure the whole thing sticks together as the cheese melts.

Cubanos are like the best ham and cheese sandwich you've ever had, all crispy and warm and gooey.  There's a reason they're famous.

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Cubanos

Serves 2

2 (8 to 10”) Cuban rolls (or soft Bolillo or hoagie rolls)

4-5 ounces roast pork, leftover or purchased from the deli

4 thin slices of smoked ham

6 slices best-quality aged Swiss cheese

Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard

2 medium dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil

Preheat a Panini press or large skillet over medium heat.

Split the rolls lengthwise.  Slice the leftover pork as thinly as possible.

Spread a thin layer of mustard on the top and bottom of each roll.  Tear each piece of Swiss cheese in half and place 1 ½ slices (3 rectangles) on the bottom and top of each roll.  Layer the pork, ham and pickles on the bottom of each roll.  Close the sandwiches, pressing gently together.

Brush the top and bottom of each sandwich with softened butter or olive oil.  Place the sandwiches in the press, using moderate pressure, for about 8 minutes until crisp on both sides.  If using a skillet, use a second pan to press on the top of the sandwiches for about 4 minutes, then flip to crisp the second side.  Sandwiches should be somewhat compressed but not completely flat.

Slice sandwiches in half and serve.

Chicken and Wild Rice

Last Year's Post:  Korean Seafood Pancakes

Two Years Ago:   Smashed Potatoes

I was watching a cooking show the other day where the star was making a casserole with what she claimed was wild rice.  It was actually a rice blend that was probably 90% white rice with a few grains of wild rice sprinkled in.  If you're from the Upper Midwest as I am where wild rice is hallowed, this is unforgivable.  When we talk about wild rice, we mean 100% wild rice.  It got me thinking nostalgically about Byerlys, the best grocery store in the world, and all their great wild rice recipes (they also have a cooking school, a catering function, gift shops, and chandeliers....in. the. grocery. stores.) Plus, they have every gourmet ingredient you could ever imagine - kind of like Whole Foods but ten times bigger and better.  I miss Byerlys.

Anyway, it inspired me to look up their chicken and wild rice recipe, which I've had for probably 20 years at least.  One way I could tell it was relatively old (and from Minnesota, where ketsup is a spice) is that it called for canned mushroom soup and canned mushrooms but almost nothing in terms of seasoning.  I remember really liking the recipe but had a strong suspicion that if I made it today it would taste really bland.  

So, I fell down the recipe-remake rabbit hole and ended up changing almost everything. Chicken cutlets were substituted for chicken breasts to cut down on portion size and calories.  Kale and roasted red peppers were added for taste, nutrition and color. A healthy homemade sauce replaced the canned soup, and fresh wild mushrooms replaced the canned mushrooms.  Fresh thyme and garlic were added for seasoning, and toasted almonds for crunch.  Whew.

The wild rice can be cooked in advance.  (For that matter, you could prepare the whole thing in advance and just bake it on the night on the night you want it.)  After cooking the wild rice, the sauce is prepared starting with wilting the kale, then sauteing the mushrooms.

The sauce continues by making a roux with butter and flour, then adding the liquids slowly so it doesn't get lumpy.  The kale and red peppers are added, then some of the sauce is reserved before adding the wild rice and most of the almonds (save a few for garnish) to the remainder.

The wild rice goes in a prepared dish, topped with the chicken cutlets.  I had two small chicken cutlets and one large breast so I ended up cutting them into similar pieces which resulted in 6 smallish pieces total.

Top the chicken with the remaining sauce and cheese, then bake.

When you change a recipe that much you have to be prepared that it isn't going to be right the first time, but I was really happy with the results and wouldn't change a thing.  It was delicious and had great texture from the chewy wild rice and crunchy almonds.  Yes, it's more work than opening a few cans, but it tastes better and it's so much healthier.  You could use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, turkey or ham just as easily. Or as an alternative, you could saute the cutlets separately and place them on top of the plated wild rice so you can see the chicken better, but I like serving it this way...the Byerlys way.  Sigh.

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Chicken and Wild Rice

Serves 4

2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup wild rice

1/2 bunch of kale, leaves stripped off steams and chopped

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic, minced or grated

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons flour

1 cup 2% milk

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup dry sherry

¼ cup sour cream

½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers

4 chicken cutlets or 2 chicken breasts cut in half horizontally

1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded (or parmesan, or a combination of both)

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Salt and pepper

Rinse and drain the wild rice.  Bring water or broth to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the wild rice; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes.  Check to determine if grains are swollen and most are split.  If not, check again every five minutes until done (typically 45-50 minutes).  Remove from heat, drain, and set aside to cool. (May be made a day or two in advance.  Keep covered and refrigerated.)

Spray a 9”x12” baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-­high heat. Add the kale and 1 cup of water to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10­ minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted. Once the kale is wilted and most of the water has been absorbed, remove the kale and drain well.

Return the saucepan to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the skillet is hot, add the mushrooms in a single layer. Let cook until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then stir and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter is melted reduce the heat and add the garlic, thyme and nutmeg and cook for about 10 seconds.

Combine the milk, broth and sherry in a measuring cup.  Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth combination a little at a time, stirring constantly to allow the flour to absorb the liquid before adding more (this prevents lumps).  Increase the heat and bring to a boil; cook stirring constantly for 2-­3 minutes until thickened. Add the sour cream and stir to combine, then add the kale and roasted red peppers. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and reserve 1 ½ cups of sauce, then add the remaining sauce to the cooked wild rice. Pour the wild rice mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Lay the chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture and cover with the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover with foil.  Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake or broil a few more minutes to lightly brown the top.

Mexican Baked Egg Casserole

Last Year's Post:  Pesto for the Freezer
Two Years Ago:   Smoked Turkey, Kale and Blue Cheese Sandwiches

When I first saw this recipe from a restaurant in Mexico City I fell in love with the little individual casserole dishes they used and spent a fair amount of time looking for "individual casserole dishes with handles" online until I realized they were actually French onion soup bowls, easily found at my local Bed, Bath and Beyond.  You may choose to make a large family casserole instead but I'm obsessed with anything individual or miniaturized so I just had to have them.

Anyway, this casserole is equally perfect for a weekday dinner or a lazy weekend brunch with layers of beans, ham or turkey, eggs, salsa and cheese all baked until the cheese is nice and gooey.  The original recipe called for re-fried beans, thin slices of ham, eggs, red salsa, and cheese.  I made it lighter by using whole beans instead of re-fried and salsa verde instead of ranchero sauce (basically red salsa) but the specifics are up the you - any beans, ham or turkey, red salsa or green, and your favorite cheese.  You can cook your own beans and make your own salsa verde (my favorite recipe follows) or you can buy a can of beans and a jar of your favorite salsa, which is perfectly fine.

Assuming you have beans and salsa already prepared, this dish takes about 20-25 minutes to prepare so it's pretty easy even for a weeknight dinner.

 I sauteed the ham in a little butter to add color and flavor but that's optional.

Then you start layering: salsa verde, beans, ham, egg, more salsa, cheese.

Pop them in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts and you're done.  One tip -  slightly undercook your eggs (although making sure the whites are done) because they'll cook a little more in the oven.  If you don't like runny yolks that's fine, but they add a nice rich sauce as you eat.

I served the eggs with toast and strawberries for brunch, but if I served the eggs for dinner I would probably add either tortilla chips or warm tortillas alongside.

One last thought about the Salsa Verde - it's lighter and brighter than red salsas and totally delicious when the vegetables are grilled for a nice smoky touch.  And it's easy:  grill, puree, then simmer for a few minutes with some lime juice.  The salsa keeps well in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator for up to a week or for several months when frozen.  I always make this salsa and my favorite red salsa every fall and freeze plenty for the winter months.

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Mexican Baked Egg Casserole

Serves 4

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

Non-stick spray

1 tablespoon butter

1 ½ cups chopped turkey or ham

2 cups whole black or pinto beans (rinsed and drained)

2 cups red salsa or Salsa Verde (recipe follows for Salsa Verde)

2 cups (about 8 ounces) shredded cheese such as Oaxaca, mozzarella or cheddar

Preheat oven to 375d.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.  Crack each egg into a small bowl one at a time and slide into the skillet (this prevents any shell bits from getting in the skillet).  Alternately, use a small individual egg pan to cook each egg.  Cook until the eggs are just shy of the way you like them since they’ll cook a little more in the oven, but make sure the whites are fully cooked.  Remove to a plate and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium non-stick skillet and sauté the turkey or ham pieces for a few minutes until lightly browned.  Set aside. Warm the beans and salsa separately in the microwave. 

To assemble, spray a casserole dish (or individual ramekins or soup bowls) with non-stick spray.  Add a thin layer of salsa, then the beans and ham or turkey.  Place the eggs on top, then cover with a generous layer of salsa and add the shredded cheese over all.

Place in the oven until the cheese has completely melted, 8-10 minutes, then turn to broil for 30-60 seconds to lightly brown the cheese if desired.  Serve immediately.

Salsa Verde

Makes about 4 cups

6 unpeeled garlic cloves

11 fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed

1 large onion, quartered through root end

3-4 jalapeno chiles

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon sugar

Coarse kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Special Brunch - Egg Strudel

Mother's Day is coming up!  Have you thought about plans for the mother or grandmother in your life?  For some people that means reservations at a nice restaurant.  If your family is like The Lawyer's, however, that's not very practical.  He has a extended family that includes four generations who are all very close. Family celebrations are large and include everyone from his parents (who are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this summer) to several itty-bittys just learning to walk. One of the family's major annual events is their Swedish sausage-making party shortly before Christmas. They work in teams to shove a gooey mass of potatoes, meat and milk into (ahem) "natural casings". I tend to watch from a safe distance and try not to think about the casings.

If you also have extended family gatherings (hopefully sans casings), think about this egg strudel recipe for a wonderful Mother's Day brunch.

 It's visually stunning and makes a lot of servings.  It can even be made in advance and simply baked before the party.  That's why a little orange juice is added to the eggs - the vitamin C helps preserve their color.  Everyone from Generation 1 to Generation 4 will like the ingredients:  potatoes, ham, eggs, cheese, and puff pastry. I would suggest serving it with asparagus in lemon sauce on your prettiest plates, accompanied by mimosas and coffee for the adults and juice for the kids. (On second thought, maybe you shouldn't use your prettiest plates if there are kids involved.  Save them for adult occasions - see below.)

Not only would this make a great Mother's Day brunch, it's ideal for weekend guests or anytime you want to have a special brunch.  It looks very fancy but actually it's really easy - the key is how you cut the puff pastry for braiding.  Just follow the visuals and you'll be fine.

* * click here for a printable recipe copy * *

Egg Strudel
Makes 2 strudels, 8 to 12 servings depending on how they are cut

1 box (two sheets) puff pastry dough (1.1 lb)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
1 cup green or red bell pepper, seeded, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 cup smoked ham or turkey, diced
11 eggs
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan


Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and onion; sauté 3 minutes, then add ham or turkey.

Whisk 11 eggs and chives together. Add them to the pan and scramble just until set and still a bit soft. Season with salt and pepper and take off the heat. Stir in the cream cheese and orange juice until blended. Refrigerate eggs while working on the pastry.

Unfold a thawed pastry sheet on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry to a 12” x 10” rectangle, then transfer to a piece of parchment cut to fit a baking sheet. Trim pastry by cutting off the top corners at an angle and notching the bottom corners (see picture below).

 
Spoon half the egg mixture down the center, then cut an equal number of strips on both sides at a 45 degree angle. 

 Fold the flaps up over the eggs at both ends, then braid the strips by alternately crossing them over the filling. 

 
Repeat with the other pastry sheet and remaining egg mixture. Transfer parchment and strudels to baking sheets.

Combine the remaining egg and water by whisking; brush over the tops of the strudels and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. (At this point, strudels may be covered in plastic and refrigerated overnight.) 

 Bake strudels for 20-30 minutes, or until golden. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.