Tripleta (Puerto Rican Three-Meat Sandwich)

• Prep45 min
• Cook20 min
• Total1 h 5 min
• Serves4

Ingredients

For the marinade and meats

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp adobo all-purpose seasoning
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 15 g white vinegar (1 tbsp)
• 15 g olive oil (1 tbsp)
• 340 g thin-cut beef steak (bistec), such as top round (3/4 lb)
• 340 g boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into thin cutlets (3/4 lb)
• 225 g sliced deli ham (1/2 lb)
• 8 slices American or Swiss cheese

For the garlic mayo

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large pasteurized egg
• 15 g fresh lime juice (1 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 200 g vegetable oil (scant 1 cup)

To assemble

• 4 soft sandwich rolls (pan sobao), or 2 loaves of Cuban bread cut in half
• 100 g shredded iceberg lettuce (2 cups)
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 60 g potato sticks (2 cups)
• Vegetable oil, for the griddle

Instructions

1. Place the garlic, oregano, adobo and pepper in the mixing bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 7. Add the vinegar and olive oil and mix 5 sec/speed 4. Rub the paste over the steak and the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
2. Rinse and dry the mixing bowl well. Place the garlic in it and chop 3 sec/speed 7, then scrape down the sides. Add the egg, lime juice, mustard and salt.
3. Blend 90 sec/speed 4 while you slowly pour the oil onto the mixing bowl lid, so it trickles in around the measuring cup. You will have a thick garlic mayo. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
4. Heat a griddle or a large cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat with a little oil. Cook the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it reaches 74°C (165°F) inside, then slice it into strips.
5. Cook the steak on the hot griddle 1 to 2 minutes per side and slice it into strips. Warm the ham on the griddle for 1 minute.
6. Make 4 piles on the griddle, each with chicken, ham and steak, top them with 2 slices of cheese and cover with a lid or a sheet pan for 1 minute, until the cheese melts.
7. Split the rolls and toast the cut sides on the griddle for 1 minute.
8. Spread garlic mayo on both sides of each roll. Layer lettuce and tomato, slide in a pile of meat and cheese, add a handful of potato sticks and a little more sauce, close and cut in half.

Tips

• Like it with mayo-ketchup? Stir 2 tablespoons of ketchup into half of the garlic mayo.
• Pasteurized eggs are sold next to the regular eggs at Publix. Use them for any sauce made with raw egg, and keep the mayo in the fridge up to 4 days.
• Have leftover pernil? Swap it in for the chicken, warmed on the griddle with the ham.
• Add the potato sticks just before closing the sandwich so they stay crunchy.