Cuban Melts

I dearly love hot sandwiches that have been pressed and sauteed. I just love them. This is one of the better ones.

Go the Caribbean way and give one a try. You will enjoy it I promise.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed with the back of a chef's knife
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2-3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1.5 pound pork roast (I used a sirloin)
• garlic salt
• pepper
• oregano
• 1 medium to large onion, sliced
• 1.5 cups orange juice
• 1 large lime, juiced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ pound of thinly sliced ham
• Dijon mustard
• Sliced dill pickles
• 12 to 18 slices of Swiss cheese (depending on if you make 6 or 8 sandwiches, 2 per sandwich)
• sliced sourdough bread

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the pork roast into a saute pan with olive oil. Salt and pepper the roast and brown on all sides. 
2. Remove to a slow cooker. 
3. Add oregano to the roast, the onion, orange juice, lime and chicken stock. Add the bay leaves. Cook on medium for 4-5 hours or until meat is fork tender and breaks apart easily. 
4. When finished, cool and slice.
5. Construct the sandwich by spreading Dijon mustard on both slides of bread, then place Swiss cheese on both slides, then the pork, then ham then pickles. 
6. Melt a couple of tbsp of butter in a small saute pan. Lay the sandwich on the melted butter and saute until nicely browned and cheese is melting. Turn over and brown the other side. Serve. 

SERVES: 6 sandwiches

NOTES: The pork could also be cooked in a dutch oven in the oven for somewhere around 2- 2 1/2 hours. 

SOURCE: Mrs. Happy Homemaker