Cuban Sandwich Potato Skins

I used to work at a Cuban bakery right out of high school. They were known for their potato balls and meat pies and cakes (if you live in Southern California you’ll know what place I’m talking about), but they also made a killer Cuban sandwich. I would order one every once in a while during my lunch break. It would come with plantain chips that I still dream about. I tried not to do it all the time because as anyone who has ever worked at a restaurant or bakery will tell you, it’s a real struggle to have self control and not eat everything in sight all the time. I wanted to take that Cuban sandwich though and turn it into a delicious appetizer for this weekend’s big game. These Cuban Sandwich Potato Skins have all of the elements found in the classic sandwich but stuffed into a crispy potato shell. Did I mention there’s a ridiculously tasty sweet and spicy mustard dipping sauce? It’s such a great one to try this weekend, I promise!

Place the potatoes directly onto the oven rack and bake in a 400°F until fork tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out most of the potato flesh.

**Tip: You want to leave a thick layer inside so that the potatoes aren’t flimsy and stand up to the fillings. You can save the potato insides for another recipe. They would be delicious if you browned them in a skillet, season and cook some eggs with it and use that for breakfast tacos. No need to waste!**

Place the potato skins on a wire rack, set over a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and return to the oven and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes. 

**Tip: Placing them on a wire rack will keep them crispy and prevent them from getting soggy as it allows air to flow all around them.**

To make the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine the dijon mustard, yellow mustard, vinegar, garlic, honey, cayenne, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust accordingly, adding more salt, pepper or cayenne if needed.

**Tip: The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use. It’s a great sauce for dipping all sorts of different things (hello, pretzels) and would be great in sandwiches or wraps as well.**

Sprinkle the browned potato skins with half of the shredded cheese. Top each with pork, ham and pickles. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and return to the oven once more until warmed through and the cheese has melted, about 10 to 12 minutes longer.

The great thing about these potato skins is that of course they’re delicious hot out of the oven, but they’re also really good at room temperature, so you can leave them out at a party or on game day and allow people to eat them as the festivities go.

This would be great if you made a pork roast or carnitas or pulled pork the night before and you had some leftover. But I have to admit that I just picked up some pulled pork from the grocery store and it was just as delicious. No one has to know. You want these to be as easy as possible!

Serve them alongside that delicious sweet and slightly spicy mustard sauce we made earlier and it’ll be just like you’re eating a Cuban sandwich but without the bread….potatoes instead, which I think is much better anyhow. Potatoes over bread anytime all the time.

Even though so many things have looked so differently over the last couple of months, that doesn’t mean you can still enjoy a few yummy snacks on game day at home. These Cuban Sandwich Potato Skins would be a great addition to whatever you have planned for Sunday. I hope you give them at try and I hope you enjoy them. Stay safe my friends.