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Entrees
Cuban/Italian
3 - 4 servings
15 minutes
25 minutes
2 cups Fresh Melissa’s Watercress – ends trimmed
½ cup Shredded Parmesan
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup Melissa’s Pine Nuts
3 cloves Melissa’s Peeled Garlic
1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/8 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
1 loaf Fresh French Bread - sliced lengthwise
Non-Stick Cooking Spray
As needed Watercress Pesto
1 pound Thinly Sliced Citrus Marinated Cooked Pork Tenderloin
1 pound Thinly Sliced Ham
10 slices Thick Cut Smoked Bacon - cooked
3 Dill Pickles - sliced thin
8 slices Swiss Cheese
1 1/2 cups Fresh Melissa’s Watercress - ends trimmed
In a food processor or blender, pulse together the watercress and parmesan until blended. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until smooth and creamy. Pulse in the pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper and pepper flakes, if using, until desired texture is achieved. Makes about 3 cups of pesto.
Heat a grill pan to very high heat.
Spray the cut sides of the bread with the cooking spray and place on the hot grill pan. Cook until you get nice grill marks, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Spread desired amount of the pesto onto the bottom piece of bread. Add slices of pork, slices of ham, the bacon, the pickle slices, the cheese and the watercress.
Place top half of bread onto stack creating the sandwich.
Heat the grill pan to medium heat and place the sandwich into the pan. Top with a weight such as another cast iron pan and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the sandwich over, cover with the pan and cook for 5 more minutes. Cut and serve.
