{Mostly} Paleo Cuban Sandwich - Inspired by the movie Chef

If you have not watched the movie Chef, it is a comedy that follows the life of prominent chef from Los Angeles (played by Jon Favreau) after he quits his job and launches a food truck with his young son.  It is a light-hearted film that truly highlights the passion people can have for the food they cook.  Although I am not a culinary expert, I can relate to this film because it is my own passion for cooking that got me to start this blog in the first place.  I love being able to share my recipes and tips on following a healthy lifestyle with others.

I get inspiration for my cooking from lots of different places, ranging from other food blogs to my personal cravings on any given day.  My inspiration for this meal came directly from the food truck "El Jefe" in this movie, which served up the signature Cubano sandwich.  I have never actually had a true Cuban sandwich, but my [almost] Paleo version was the best damn sandwich I have had in a long time!

In my last post I shared the recipe for the plantain sandwich bread which I used as my base for these sandwiches.  The other big component that is explained in the recipe at the bottom of this post is for the Cuban Mojo Pork.  Everything else for these sandwiches can be bought at the grocery store.

{Mostly} Paleo Cuban Sandwich

Yield: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 recipe of my Plantain Sandwich Bread 2.0
• Yellow mustard (I highly recommend using this Jalapeño mustard)
• 2 slices of ham
• 2 thick slices of Cuban Mojo Pork (see the recipe below)
• Mojo onions (see recipe below)
• 2 slices of Swiss cheese
• 4-6 pickle slices

Directions

1. Take two slices of your bread and spread mustard on each slice.
2. Place one slice of ham on one piece of bread.
3. Top the ham with a thick slice of your Cuban pork.
4. Top the pork with a layer of Mojo onions.
5. Layer 2-3 pickle slices on top of the onions.
6. Lay the slice of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles.
7. Finish creating your sandwich by placing the second piece of bread on top of the cheese.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 with your remaining ingredients to make your second sandwich.
9. Spread coconut oil on the outside of each piece of bread.
10. Cook your sandwiches on a preheated sandwich press or electric griddle (with the grill plates set to 400°F) for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.  Alternatively, you can cook them in a frying pan for 4-5 minutes per side.

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Cuban Mojo Pork

Yield: ~5 servings (2 sandwich servings + leftovers for 3-4 additional meals)

Ingredients

• 1.75 lb pork roast shoulder
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons sea salt + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, separated
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 onion, thinly sliced

Directions
THE NIGHT BEFORE:

1. Take your pork roast and use a knife to make deep stabs all around the roast.
2. Pour 2 teaspoons of salt into your hands and rub all over the pork.
3. In a food processor or blender, add the lime juice, oregano, cumin, black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and garlic cloves.
4. Blend on high until liquified.  *This is your Cuban Mojo sauce.  Pour a 1/2 cup into a jar and store in the fridge for later use.
5. Place your pork roast in a large Ziploc bag and pour the remaining Mojo sauce inside.
6. Seal the bag and use your hands to massage the sauce into the meat.
7. Refrigerate for 24 hours, or at least overnight.

WHEN READY TO COOK:

1. Remove the pork roast from the fridge.
2. Place the pork roast, along with the Mojo sauce it was marinating in, into a crockpot.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 3 1/2 hours.  *Alternatively, you could roast this in the oven at 325°F for 3-4 hours.
4. When the pork roast is done, remove from the crockpot and allow to rest in a pan for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  *If your pork roast is well done and falling apart easily, you can also shred the pork with a fork and use this pulled pork to make your sandwiches.
5. While your pork rests, heat a pan on the stove over medium heat with 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil.
6. Add your sliced onions and sauté until softened and beginning to turn golden.
7. At this point, pour in the saved 1/2 cup of Mojo sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  *These are your Mojo onions for making your sandwiches.  You should have extra leftover if you are only making 2 sandwiches that can be served on top of your leftover pork!
8. You are now ready to make your Cuban sandwiches!

-Brought to you from Erin's Kitchen