This is a variation on the famous Cuban sandwich, which I Americanized and simplified. Using the best ingredients with a twist -- Gruyère cheese, high-quality ham, and a parsley-mustard spread -- makes it so much more than just a grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich. You'll find you can't make them fast enough: they're totally irresistible, warm and crunchy, and really too delicious for words. They also go exceedingly well with the cool drinks.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 24 slices white or whole wheat sandwich bread
• 24 thin slices good quality Gruyère (or other Swiss) cheese
• 12 thick slices good quality baked ham
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Combine the mustard and parsley in a small bowl and mix well. Lay out 12 slices of the bread on a flat surface. Spread a layer of the mustard-parsley paste on each slice. Place a slice of cheese and then a slice of ham on each one. Finish with another piece of cheese on each and then complete the sandwiches with the remaining slices of bread.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of the sandwiches with butter. Heat a griddle over high heat. (You can also use a cast-iron skillet, but this doesn't yield the nice stripes.) Grill the sandwiches until the bread turns golden brown and the cheese is well melted, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Cut in quarters and serve hot.

Tip

Simplicity and Style

Other Sandwich Recipes

Assorted Tea Sandwiches
Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Mahimahi Sandwiches
Roast Beef Sandwiches

Menu

Cuba Libre