cubano club sangwich

take the yummiest pressed pork sandwich you can imagine. then, multiply by two.

faced with wide angular pork chops and smaller square bread, not to mention vast pangs of hunger, i was forced to invent tonight's dinner... holy shit. goran thinks it should be patented.

1 thick boneless pork chop
1 mallet / kitchen hammer
4 slices of prosciutto
10-15 cornichons
swiss cheese sliced thinly
gruyere cheese sliced thinly
avocado (optional)
square loaf of bread (NOT presliced)
cast iron pan
lodge (or similar) cast-iron press
1/2 t butter
e.v. olive oil
pinch of sea salt

heat up the cast iron pan to medium-low heat. slice the cornichons in thirds, lengthwise; i used 5 per sangwiznich. slice the bread thinly in 1/4" slices; you'll want 6 slices.

remove fat from the chop. you want to begin with 1/2" chops. hammer it down on a stable surface (you'll make a lot of noise) so that it ends up being 1/4" thin before cooking. cook the chops in a little oil (and garlic, sprinkling with paprika, if you wish). they should be 90% done before you wipe any remaining oil away and keep the pan flavorings for the next step.

put half the butter in the pan. when it melts, put two slices of bread into the pan. "toast" the bread in the pan for :30 (until it gets golden brown) and then flip it over. slightly greasy is good. place one slice of prosciutto on each piece. layer half the cornichon on top of each slice. then layer the swiss (or gruyere) atop that.

sit tight for a minute while the untoasted side of the bread now toasts and the cheese melts a little. then, layer one slice of bread atop each. drop in the other slab of butter. flip the entire concoction over again so there's always a new side of bread being toasted on fresh butter. place the press atop the first deck.

remove press after :45 to 1 minute. now layer your pork chop (sliced in half if it's too big to be contained within the bread), more cheese, the rest of the cornichons, and more prosciutto again. smear the final piece of bread with avocado and a pinch of salt, and place it atop the triple-decker, then flip it all one last time, sealed with the press.

lower the heat or, depending on how hot the pan stays, turn off the heat. let it sit under the press for a good minute plus.

yield: two sangwichnizes. serve with fried plantains, fries, salad, or nothing!