OK, so for the most part I really enjoy cooking, it relaxes me, it make me happy, and I overall just enjoy the creative process. However, during the summer months, it is 1) just too damn hot for me to be standing over the stove cooking, and 2) too many things going on that I don't want to spend the time in the kitchen when I can be out having a good time. So the summer for me includes a lot of quick easy to make meals that don't require a lot of prep or cook time. I also don't want to eat anything to heavy that will inevitably lead me into a the dreaded food coma. Whenever I think of something quick and easy to eat that I can make at home I usually have a sandwich. Normally my sandwich consist of a few slices or turkey and cheese between two slice of wonder bread, but every now and a again I like to jazz it up a bit. For me personally I like a lot of add ins (onions, peppers, spread, etc) on my sandwich, but hey if your not a fan you can easily omit those ingredients. That's the good thing about a sandwich there's no strict recipe to adhere to, you have the freedom to make it your own by adding as little or as much as you like. This recipe that I am sharing today is my take on a Cuban sandwich. Now let me put out a disclaimer......If you are a Cuban sandwich purist, this is not the sandwich for you. I looooovvvvvve the traditional Cuban sandwich, I wanted to try something a little different so this is my take on a Cuban style sandwich. The first deviation from the traditional you'll notice is that I have taken out the roast pork and replaced it with turkey, I also add a tomato relish, but trust me this sandwich is just as good, different, but just as good as the original. I add a soup to the sandwich to round out the meal, being that this is a summer meal I didn't want a hot soup so I served it with a gazpacho, which is a chilled soup. If cold soup is not your thing you can easily heat the soup or opt not to have soup with your sammie. Hope you enjoy.
Turkey Cuban w/ Tomato Gazpacho
Ingredients:
Turkey Cuban:
1 loaf of cuban, french, italian, or cibatta bread
8 slices deli turkey
6 slices thinly sliced deli ham
4-6 slices B&G sandwich topper pickles(New York Deli Style)
8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Hellman's Dijonnaise
1 small tomato seeded and diced
1/2 small red onion diced
1/2-1 jalapeno diced(depending on how spicy you like it)
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp oil oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp chopped garlic
salt and pepper
Ingredients:
Tomato Gazpacho:
3-4 large tomatoes cut in half
2-3 cups crusty bread, crust removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper diced
1 cup English cumber diced
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup water
Directions: Turkey Cuban:
Slice bread in half lengthwise, spread dijonnaise evenly on both sides of the bread. Layer the turkey, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickle slices on the bread in that order. Place tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil in food processor and pulse until just combined. Spread tomato mixture over top of sandwich and top sandwich with other slice of bread. Heat griddle pan or large frying pan with butter or olive oil. Place sandwich in pan cook until it browns on one side ( you can weigh sandwich down with another pan or grill press) once browned flip to other side and cooked until browned on that side. Remove from pan and slice into thirds or fourths.
Directions:
Gazpacho:
Directions:
Gazpacho:
Gently squeeze tomatoes over a bowl to remove seeds and juice. Strain removed seeds and juice to separate juice from seeds, discard the seeds. Chop tomatoes and transfer the chopped tomatoes,tomato juices and remaining ingredients except for water into a blender or food processor. Puree gazpacho adding water in batches until smooth. Strain gazpacho through a strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season with salt and pepper and serve cold or room temperature. Garnish with a little sour cream if you like.
Hope You Enjoy and Keep SIMPLY COOKING !!!
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