CUBAN PORK SANDWICH

Feeds 8

This is a much-loved sandwich in Florida and beyond. Slow-roasted pork with Cuban spices, pickled jalapeños, pan-roasted onions, and garlicky aioli, all spilling out of a long, crisp roll. This is joy. There are a thousand variations in flavors and technique but this one works for us.

• For the pork
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Freshly grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 3 oranges
• Freshly grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes
• 3 pounds pork shoulder
• For the pickled jalapeños
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
• Good pinch kosher salt
• 8 ounces jalapeños, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• For the garlic aioli
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• For the rest of the sandwich
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 gluten-free Baguettes, sliced in half horizontally and then lengthwise
• 8 romaine lettuce leaves

Toast the spices. Set a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and allspice. Heat, stirring frequently, until they release their scents, about 2 minutes.

Make the marinade. Combine the toasted spices, garlic, and orange and lime zest and juice in a large bowl.

Marinate the pork. Put the pork shoulder into a large plastic bag or bowl. Pour the marinade over the pork. Refrigerate overnight.

Pickle the jalapeños. Set a small pot over high heat. Pour in the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Whisk until the liquids just come to a boil and the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the hot liquid over the jalapeños in a large bowl. Refrigerate overnight.

Make the aioli. Add the egg, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a strong blender. Blend until everything is well combined. With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil, very slowly (more slowly than you would imagine), until the olive oil is gone and there is mayonnaise in the blender. Refrigerate overnight.

Prepare to cook. The next day, preheat the oven to 425°F. Take the pork shoulder out of the refrigerator. Pat the roast dry with a paper towel.

Sear the pork shoulder. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil is hot, put the pork shoulder in the skillet. Sear until the bottom of the roast is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the shoulder and sear until all sides are browned. Turn off the heat and move the pork shoulder to another cast-iron skillet.

Roast the pork shoulder. Put the pork shoulder in the oven and roast until the pork has reached an internal temperature of 150°F, about 1½ hours. Take the pork out of the oven and let it rest. Tear at the pork roast with two forks, shredding up the meat.

Pan roast the onions. Meanwhile, as the pork roasts, set the skillet with the browned bits in it back over medium-high heat. Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and add the onion slices. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned and softened, about 15 minutes. Set them aside.

Make the sandwiches. Grab 2 baguette pieces. Slather each of them with the garlic aioli, then on one baguette side pile the pork, the pickled jalapeños, and the pan-roasted onions. Top with a romaine lettuce leaf and put the other side of the baguette on top. Repeat with the remaining baguette pieces.

Eat immediately. Don’t worry if it all slides and slathers on you. That’s half the fun.

Feel like playing?

If you don’t want to bake four baguettes, or you want to skip the bread entirely, make this as a salad over white rice or lots of crisp green lettuce. Once you have the hang of making aioli yourself, instead of buying it in a jar, you’re likely to be hooked. And guess what! If you take out the garlic, you have a great homemade mayonnaise.