El Sándwich Elena Ruz
Sándwich Elena Ruz·(eh-LEH-nah ROOS)
La Ventanita at Home (Mornings & Miami Rhythms)
Long before secret menus were a thing, there was Elena Ruz. In 1930s Havana, this young socialite would roll into El Carmelo after a night out and demand a very specific, off-menu creation: sweet midnight bread loaded with roasted turkey, cream cheese, and strawberry jam. It was so bizarre, and so undeniably good, that they eventually put her name in neon lights in the window and charged a quarter for it. For the Cuban diaspora, this is the ultimate sweet-and-savory comfort food and the undisputed king of Thanksgiving leftovers. The secret to making it taste exactly like it does back home? Don't smash it in a plancha. Toast the sweet bread by itself so it stays pillowy, then pile on the cool, rich ingredients.
Ingredients
- brioche buns2 large
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- plain cream cheese4 tbsp
- strawberry preserves3 tbsp
- roasted turkey breast8 oz
Method
- 01
Butter the inside of the sweet rolls.
Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter exclusively on the cut sides of the bread.
- 02
Toast the bread halves by themselves in a skillet.
Do not use a panini press. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and place the bread butter-side down, toasting gently until the edges are golden brown and the crumb is warm and slightly crispy.
- 03
Spread the cream cheese and jam while the bread is still warm.
Slather the softened cream cheese generously on the bottom halves of the rolls, and spread the strawberry preserves on the top halves.
- 04
Layer the turkey and serve immediately.
Fold the roasted turkey slices over the cream cheese, close the sandwiches, and slice them in half diagonally to experience the magical contrast of warm, crispy sweet bread against cool cream cheese and savory meat.
Notes
The Miami diaspora twist.
While Elena explicitly demanded strawberry jam, many modern Cuban-Americans swear by guava preserves for a nostalgic, tropical flair—swap it in if you have a jar sitting in the fridge.
Embrace the deli counter.
If you don't have fresh leftover turkey on a busy weeknight, ask your local deli to slice their best oven-roasted turkey breast on the thicker side because ultra-thin shaved turkey gets lost against the dense cream cheese.
From Cook Cuban in America.