Remember that leftover mojo pork from last week? Let's use it!
If you've never had a Dutch Baby before, it's often described as a large skillet pancake that can be sweet or savory. The batter itself is usually sugarless, so it's all about how you dress the pancake. I had eaten many before, both sweet and savory, but the first time I ever made one was this Reuben Dutch Baby by Rick Martinez. The recipe takes everything you love about a Reuben sandwich and turns it into a massive pancake. Who doesn't want that?
After an enjoyable and insanely quick-to-make dinner, I thought to myself, could this be done for a Cubano sandwich? The answer, obviously, is yes. And let me tell you, it satisfies all Cubano cravings without the disappointment of not having authentic Tampa-baked butter-pressed Cuban bread. (Let's get one thing straight: Philly does a lot of wonderful things, but the lack of pan Cubano is a serious issue. It's a niche market begging to be filled. And all the pan-Latino restaurants that claim to serve Cuban bread are unfortunately dishing out loaves that are too wide and easily deflatable without so much as a semi-firm crust to add texture.)
This is Martinez's method applied with just a few different ingredients. Dutch Babies are so amazing because you can do virtually whatever you want to them. Want to make a Philly cheesesteak Dutch Baby with some thin steak and provolone? Go for it! Want to add some mixed berries and a scoop of ice cream because you're an adult and that's an acceptable dessert? Let your creativity run wild! This version is just one of the infinite approaches to having a pancake for dinner.
As much as I love how delicious and quick this recipe is, I think my favorite part of this recipe is actually the name. Instead of calling it a Dutch Baby, I wanted to call it a Cuban Baby. And since "baby" in Spanish is bebé, I went for Bebé Cubano. If anything else, this recipe gives you have an excuse to walk around talking like Moira Rose, which no one will ever be upset about.
With cheese that you don't have to fold in,
~c.j.
BEBÉ CUBANO
Adapted from Reuben Dutch Baby by Rick Martinez
PREP TIME: 5-10 mins
COOK TIME: 15-18 mins
YIELD: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 large eggs
1/2 c. room temperature milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard + more for serving
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper + more to taste
4 oz grated Swiss cheese
2 tbsp butter
8 oz thinly sliced black forest ham, divided
2 oz sliced Genoa salami
8 oz shredded roast pork, such as leftover slow cooker mojo pork
dill pickle chips, for topping
DIRECTIONS
Place a 10" cast-iron skillet in oven on the middle rack; preheat to 425°F. Whisk eggs, milk, and 1 tsp mustard in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisking constantly, gradually add flour, whisking until smooth. Season with salt. Stir in 1/2 tsp black pepper and half of the cheese (2 oz).
Carefully remove the preheated skillet from oven and add butter; swirl skillet to coat. Drape half of ham (4 oz) and all the salami into skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over. Return skillet to oven and bake until Dutch baby is puffed and golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
Remove skillet from oven and heat broiler. Drape remaining ham (4 oz) overtop. Sprinkle with roast pork and remaining cheese. Top with pickle chips. Broil until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven and top with mustard before serving.
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