CULINARY
Executive
Summary
Diversifying our ongoing Latin
American culinary explosion with
the ever-accessible sandwich.
Detailed information on Latin sandwiches,
from Brazil’s Bauru to Puerto Rican jibarito
and Mexican cemita poblana—and beyond.
Sauces, ingredients and flavors
to inspire new directions in the
always-popular sandwich market.
D E S I G N
Photo: Chicken of the Sea International
FOOD PRODUCT
®
Latin Sandwiches

on the Rise

By BarBara Zatto
Contributing Editor
T
he ongoing expansion of sandwich options
with a Latin American influence falls directly
in line with the decade-long trend of everincreasing Latin food choices available in fine and casual
restaurants, and the explosion of Latin-influenced meals,
marinades and other products in grocery stores. And sandwiches are ideal vehicles for conveying ethnic flavors. A
sandwich can offer a balance of protein, fat, acids, heat,
spices and textures to make a complete and satisfying
meal—and the price point makes them an easy way to try
something new for little cost.
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Food Product Design
Latin American countries have been variously influenced throughout history by European, Native American,
Middle Eastern, Japanese and African flavor profiles,
resulting in a delicious blend of flavors that give their sandwiches wide appeal. With Latin flavors trending upward
over the last several years, the ingredients found in these
sandwiches are now more familiar for consumers.
Quintessentially Cuban
When it comes to sandwiches with Latin flair, the
Cuban rules. Pleasing the palate for over 100 years, the
May 2012
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Cuban got its start in Miami and Tampa’s Ybor City when
the Cuban cigar trade came to the United States. From
Florida, it moved across the country along with pockets
of Cuban immigrants—and in the last several years has
grown increasingly mainstream, at home in a wide range
of traditional American restaurants.
The key to a great Cuban sandwich is the bread. It
has to be fresh, and historically the bread was 3 ft. long
and more rectangular than rounded. The dough was
stretched thin to create a crunchy crust and air pockets,
and baked with a moist palm frond on top to give it a
distinctive look. Currently, the bread is more commonly
sold in elongated, personal-sized rolls. The dough’s
distinctive taste traditionally comes from using a starter,
or sponge.
In Cuba, the sandwich comes with layers of mojo pork,
sweet ham, Swiss cheese and pickles, and mustard spread
on classic Cuban bread. Florida introduced this popular
sandwich to the rest of the United States, and residents
there debate how to make the best Cuban. Miami sticks
closer to Cuban tradition, while in Tampa, the Cuban sees
the addition of Genoa salami.
Mojo pork is key to any Cuban. The pork is marinated
in sour oranges, garlic and spices (like oregano, salt and
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Food Product Design
pepper) and then slow-roasted to develop its flavor. It is
then either served sliced or chopped on the sandwich.
After the sandwich is dressed, it is pressed and heated
all the way through on a flattop grill or metal plate (a la
plancha) so the fats from the cheese and meats seep down
throughout the sandwich. A true Cuban should not be
made on a panini press or have grill marks.
Other acceptable variations include the addition of
vinegars and chicken stock to braise the meat, and the addition of aioli, onions, sweet pickles, and provolone cheese
instead of the traditional Swiss.
The Cuban’s sister is the media noche—literally translated as “midnight,” because it began as a midnight snack.
Smaller in size than a Cuban and made on sweet egg bread
similar to challah, the media noche is filled with roast mojo
pork and heated through on a plancha for a crisp crust on
the outside and gooey, melted cheese inside.
Traveling to Bauru
The Bauru, named for the city where it originated,
is the most famous sandwich of Brazil. The traditional
recipe calls for sliced roast beef (loin or rump roast),
mozzarella cheese, sliced tomato and pickles topped
with salt and dried oregano inside a hollowed-out
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French bread roll. The cheese is traditionally heated in a
bain-marie (like a double boiler) until it is melted like a
fondue and then poured over the other ingredients. The
acid in the pickles contrasts nicely to the fat in the meat
and cheese.
Variations on the Bauru include using slow-roasted
ham or pork instead of roast beef, and even some
vegetarian options are starting to appear regionally. In
southern Brazil, a thin slice of steak is used instead of
roast beef and may include a mix of peas, carrots, mayo,
onion and tomato.
Sabores de mi tierra
In Puerto Rico, sandwiches are usually served in
large portions from stores and trucks that stay open late,
according to Miguel Campis, host of “Sabores de mi Tierra”
(“Flavors of My Country”) on Puerto Rico’s WAPA
TV. He typically starts all of his sandwiches using a loaf
of crusty French bread or sweet pan de manteca (Puerto
Rican lard bread). The beefsteak sandwich features mari-
nated strips of seared steak, smothered with sautéed onions
in a garlic and vinegar marinade.The tripleta stacks sautéed
steak, ham and chicken with crispy fries inside. He serves
both of these hot off the griddle.
On the Southern shores of Puerto Rico, sandwich
fillings include marinated octopus or conch salad with
onions, vinegar and olive oil. Newer on the scene in
Puerto Rico are plantain sandwiches, where chefs substitute fried plantains (tostones) for bread and fill them with
flap steak (similar to flank or skirt) and chimichurri sauce
(a vinaigrette-style sauce typically made with parsley,
garlic, olive oil, red-wine vinegar and red pepper flakes).
In Chicago, plantain sandwiches are called jibaritos (made
with steak—and sometimes chicken or pork—along with
lettuce, tomato and garlicky aioli).
A cousin to the jibarito is the patacón maracucho. This
Venezuelan specialty dates back to the early 1990s, when
chefs began filling the slices of crispy, fried plantains with
thinly sliced roast chicken, avocado and cilantro, among
other ingredients.
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Chori, meet chimi
The choripan is a combination of two words: chorizo
and pan (bread), so it’s no surprise that traditional
choripan from Argentina features hot, grilled chorizo
on a roll similar to a French baguette. Choripan is most
recognized as street food, but is also served in smaller
portions as an appetizer.
Traditionally, Argentine chorizo sausage is made from
pork and flavored with pimento, smoked red peppers,
garlic and red wine, and generally isn’t spicy. Cooks split it
down the middle and grill it before laying it on the bread
and topping it with a chimichurri sauce. The crusty, crisp
bread soaks up the meat juices and the sauce. U.S. chefs
sometimes borrow the idea of dressing sandwiches with a
chimichurri or vinaigrette.
Mexico, one sandwich at a time
Saul Ortiz, executive chef, Tacos & Tequilas, Las
Vegas, names three sandwiches as tops when it comes to
combining the flavors, spices, ingredients and traditional
cooking methods of Mexico. The torta pepito is made with
a baked bolillo roll (similar to a baguette with its crunchy
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crust but with an oval shape) with bean spread, mayonnaise, lettuce, cheese and grilled chicken, pork or beef. It’s
usually served warm, but also with cold deli meats such as
ham or turkey. Guajolotas are sandwiches made by stuffing
a tamale inside the bolillo roll and dressing it with a red
chile sauce, mole or mayonnaise. Its combination of warm
corn dough and bread is unique. A filling of tender pork
tossed in a tomatillo sauce and topped with a mole and
a sprinkle of oregano is quite tasty. Rounding out his
trifecta of Mexican sandwiches is the pambazo. To create
this hearty sandwich, a bolillo roll is soaked in a red-chile
(guajillo) adobo made from guajillo chiles, onion, garlic,
cinnamon and clove paste. Once the roll is soaked, it’s cut
in half, stuffed with boiled, diced potatoes, sautéed chorizo,
lettuce, queso fresco, sour cream and salsa, and is cooked on
a comal (a Mexican cast-iron griddle) to give it a toasty
exterior. The smoky taste of the red-chile adobo and the
chorizo complement each other well. He suggests adding
heat to all of these sandwiches with raw or grilled peppers,
or adding dry spices like paprika and cayenne pepper into
a mayonnaise-based spread.
Tortas are on the rise in casual and fine dining, as well
as via the expanding food-truck business. Tortas are unique
and adaptable—served cold or hot on bolillo or telera rolls
(the telera is quite similar to bolillo, but a bit softer and
rounder). Torta variations are endless—served morning,
noon and night, featuring everything from eggs and
chorizo to carnitas with chile de árbol sauce (which can
include pumpkin and sesame seeds, cumin, oregano, garlic,
allspice, cloves and vinegar, along with fiery chiles de árbol),
anything, really, that could go into a taco—making this
perhaps the most-adaptable Mexican sandwich. Jalapeños
(usually a staple on tortas) add heat and cut through the fat
of other ingredients like meats, cheese and avocado.
Flavors influenced by Latin America, including
Tex-Mex and New Mexican, are currently trending in
foodservice.The heat of this Latin influence is reaching all
the way through quick-service burger chains, which are
introducing options with ingredients like green chiles—
even locale-specific Hatch green chiles. Chipotles are
popping up everywhere in aioli, sauces and as a condiment. Also new is the demand for New Mexican breakfast
sandwiches with eggs, green chiles and/or jalapeños,
cheese and breakfast sausage.
Also trending, according to Hamilton Gross, culinary
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CULINARY
Flavorful Latin Inspirations
I
t is not uncommon these days to see Latin American
escabeche is particularly well-paired with cured
flavors finding their way into nontraditional food
pork products.
forms. In most cases, this is done through the simple
into a purée, add body and richness as a sandwich
ingredients in the Latin pantry that can be used as
spread. They are especially good for use on
interest-generating additions to everyday dishes—
vegetarian sandwiches.
including sandwiches. Here are a few authentic and
• Chihuahua cheese. This mild cow’s-milk cheese is
attention-grabbing ideas in which Latin-inspired
excellent for sandwiches. In cold preparations, the cheese
garnishes can be added to this lunchtime favorite.
is mild and firm, similar to Jack. In hot sandwiches, it
• Chipotle in adobo. This product is the ultimate
flavor chameleon. Even in small amounts, chipotles
provides unbeatable gooey creaminess.
• Jicama. This mildly sweet tuber provides freshness
not only add unique flavors—smoky, spicy and sweet—
and crunch. Shaved into a slaw and tossed with lime
but they also add body and depth to sandwiches
and cilantro, jicama can be used as a brightly flavored
when incorporated into spreads or relishes.
condiment for anything from grilled chicken to braised pork.
• Roasted tomatillos. Crushed into a spread,
• Habanero chile sauce. This three-alarm hot sauce
or salsa verde, roasted tomatillos add an excellent
may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s perfect for
combination of smoky depth and acidic brightness.
adventurous eaters. Aside from the heat, this pepper also
• Escabeche. This mix of vinegared carrots,
offers floral notes that are an excellent complement to
jalapeños and onions pairs perfectly with many
grilled or braised meats.
sandwiches, because what sandwich doesn’t love
—Molly McGrath, chef and project manager,
The Culinary Edge
a good pickle? Drained and chopped finely,
wiches that can substitute the need for a bread, as seen
in the jibarito made with plantains, something that fits
nicely into the gluten-free sector. Also, gluten-free breads
made with nut flours can complement the flavor profiles
of various Latin American sandwiches, which sometimes
feature nuts and seeds in accenting sauces.
The next Cuban?
With rising numbers in the U.S. Latino and Hispanic
populations, the delicious traditions of Latin countries
continue to influence American sandwiches. While the
torta could be the next big contender to challenge the
Cuban, two close runners-up include the cemita poblana,
a sandwich hailing from Puebla, Mexico, commonly
featuring a milanesa, or breaded veal cutlet, on a crusty
roll with sliced avocado, queso blanco, sliced onion and
chipotles in adobo.
Also, arepas—Venezuelan corn cakes—are a good
gluten-free option, often split and filled with a wide
variety of ingredients, including shredded beef and
cheese; chicken, avocado and mayonnaise; and perico
64
• Black beans. Black beans, cooked and blended
addition of chiles. However, there are many other
(often containing scrambled eggs, peppers, tomatoes,
annatto and onions).
Gross believes the next Cuban will not be one lone
idea of a sandwich, but rather a movement toward a
different principle in sandwich design. “As the global
culture is becoming more aware of nutritional needs, we
are finding that the desire for more robust flavors delivered
through smaller portioning is satisfying the consumer’s
need for flavor while respecting dietary concerns and
portion size,” he says.
American palates continue to seek spicy flavors,
and Latin-influenced sandwiches are ideal vehicles to
meet demand.
Barbara Zatto is director of culinary and sales
manager West for Mizkan Americas food
ingredients division. She is a graduate of the
Culinary Institute of America and is a regional
key contact for the Research Chefs Association.
For more information, visit mizkan.com.
Reproduced with permission from Food Product Design, May 2012. ©2012 Virgo Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
For electronic usage only. Not to be printed in any format.
Food Product Design
May 2012