Cubanos & Garbanzo Bean Salad

Last week's dinner Zoom was an attempt to create our favorite Cuban take-out at home. It was delicious, and excellent with mojitos made with mint, fresh from the garden.

Cuban Sammies (AKA Cubanos) 

Good cuban sandwich bread (recipe from Allrecipes.com is amazing)

Roasted or pulled pork (made with Mojo, ideally)

sliced deli ham (3-4 slices per sandwich)

Swiss cheese slices (1-2 slices per sandwich)

whole Kosher dill pickles (sliced thin by you)

Yellow mustard

Horseradish (optional, but delicious)

Butter for grilling sammies, and sandwich press, panini grill, or two cast iron pans and some hot pads

Assemble sammies, butter outsides, and grill. If using cast iron pans, heat both, and put one (smaller) on top of sammies, using it to press down the sammies in the pan. Use hot pads to press down hot pan on sandwich. Grill to golden and melty, and enjoy with Garbanzo Bean Salad and a mojito with LOTS of mint and lime!

Garbanzo Bean Salad

(about 8-10 servings as a side)

Salad  

2 (15 ounce ) cans of garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
2 flame bell peppers (or whatever color you prefer)
1 c. of diced sweet onion
1 c. of  quartered cherry tomatoes

1 c. fresh corn (blanched or grilled and planked off the cob)

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4-1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Dressing

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1.5 tsp. of ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3-4 pressed garlic cloves

 
Combine the beans, peppers, onion, tomatoes, corn, and chopped cilantro in a large glass salad bowl.

Blitz dressing in a small blender (or whisk by hand), pour over the salad and toss. Best flavor comes from letting this salad chill in the fridge for at least a couple hours. Lasts several days in the fridge.