Cuban Style Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches and Fried Plantains

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter for toasting sandwiches
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt 
• 0.3 cup corn oil 
• 8  crusty rolls such as portuguese rolls, torpedo loaves or muffuletta style round rolls
• 6  dill pickles chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 pound ham shaved
• 1  tray ice cubes 
• 1.7 pounds pork tenderloin trimmed
• 1 pint lime sorbet 
• 2  lime zest 
• 0.5 cup mint leaves 
• 1 small onion minced
• 1 large orange zest 
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• 0.5 cup pepper relish sweet red
• 1 teaspoon coarse pepper black
• 4  plantains black ripe ()
• 8 shots rum light
• 1 teaspoon salt fine
• 2  scallions chopped
• 4 teaspoons sugar 
• 1 pound swiss cheese shaved
• 8 servings vegetable oil for drizzling

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• oven
• blender
• stove
• cutting board

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Coat tenderloins with oil.
3. Combine onion, garlic, citrus zest, salt, pepper and dried oregano in a pile on your cutting board. Pack this coating equally and evenly onto the tenderloins.
4. Heat a large skillet.
5. Add a drizzle of oil and sear tenderloin on all sides. Then place in hot oven to roast 20 to 25 minutes. Wash hands.
6. Brush rolls with a little warm water and sprinkle the tops of the rolls with 1/2 teaspoon sugar each. Pile rolls on a baking sheet and place in oven with meat for 5 minutes to crust rolls and set sugar. Authentic Cuban rolls used for this sandwich are sweet. This sugar wash process gives a similar effect to store bought rolls. When rolls come out of oven, split and pile on serving plate.
7. Preheat a stovetop griddle over medium high heat.
8. Heat 1/4 cup corn oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Peel plantains and cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then slice each 1/2 into thirds on an angle. Arrange plantains in pan in a single layer and cook until crisp, continuously flipping for even browning.
9. Remove from skillet to paper towel lined plate and season with fine salt.
10. To assemble sandwiches: Thinly slice meat on an angle.
11. Place ham and Swiss cheese on a serving plate, separating and fluffing up the shaved meat and cheese. Assemble sandwiches with desired fillings and place on a hot, buttered griddle. Use a heavy pan to press the sandwiches together. Toast until golden brown, then flip and toast the other side.
12. Combine chopped pickles, sweet red pepper relish and scallions in a small bowl.
13. Spread the relish on the tops of the rolls and pork slices, ham, and swiss cheese on the bottoms. Press the sandwiches together. Put about 1 tablespoon of butter on the hot griddle and spread to coat. Put 2 sandwiches at a time on the griddle, and top with a heavy cast-iron skillet. Toast sandwiches on the griddle, turning once, until golden, hot, and cheese is melted, 2 or 3 minutes per side.
14. Serve with a few slices of plantains per person as a side dish. Frozen Mojitos Slushes make a great drink or dessert.
15. In a blender, combine 1/2 pint sorbet or 1/2 can of lime aid with 4 shots of rum, 1/4 cup mint leaves and 1/2 tray of ice. Pulse, then blend on high until lime-mint slush is smooth.
16. Pour drinks into 2 large cocktail glasses using a long handled spoon and repeat with remaining ingredients.