RECIPE: Vegetarian Cubanos

I'm a sucker for all food-related entertainment. Shows, movies, photos, TikTok videos, you name it! If someone is cooking, you can bet I'll be watching! And I'm always - ALWAYS - trying to figure out if I can find a way to put a vegetarian twist on a dish. This is one of the new go-to favorites at our house inspired by the movie Chef starring Jon Favreau and Sofia Vergara. If you've seen the movie, you know that most of the dishes involve lots of big chunks of meat, but, since we're all vegetarians, I had to come up with an alternative that would still pack a flavorful punch. I think I've finally got it! I'm telling you, you have to try it! So gooooooood!

PS: I got so excited to sink my teeth in that I forgot to take the photo until after I had my first bite!

I think it's best to prep all the ingredients in advance.

• French rolls cut in half
  

• Fried eggs (1/sandwich)
  

• Yellow mustard
  

• Swiss cheese (1 slice/sandwich)
  

• BBQ tofu warmed up (I like Hodo brand BBQ tofu. If you can't find it, just drain & dice some firm tofu, lightly sauté it, and add your favorite BBQ sauce)
  

• Kosher dill pickles (sandwich slices work best)

Once you've got all these items ready, it's time to assemble the Veggie Cubano. I don't have a panini press, so this is how I made mine.

• Pre-heat a griddle on med-high heat
  

• Spread butter on the griddle
  

• Place the bottom half of a French roll on the butter and press down on it with a spatula until it is nice and flat
  

• Spread yellow mustard on top, add a heap of tofu, a fried egg, a slice of Swiss, a slice of pickle and the top half of the roll
  

• Press down on the sandwich again
  

• Butter the top of the sandwich and flip over with a spatula. Press down again.
  

• Once the roll is golden brown on both sides, you're ready to enjoy.

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, a little sweet, a little savory, a little tangy. Just delicious. You can thank me later.