EL SUPER PAN’S PAN DE JAMÓN Y QUESO

This sandwich uses dates to great advantage. The date-almond spread, made tangy with a bit of sherry vinegar, provides just the right sweet note to complement the savory ham, cheese and peppers.

El Super Pan chef-owner Hector Santiago said he put it on the menu to celebrate the Spanish roots of Puerto Rican cuisine. “I love the rich creaminess of medjool dates. Eating them brings me back to Christmastime in Puerto Rico when we usually enjoy them along with nuts and cured meats. For this sandwich, we spread Spanish coca bread with a puree of medjool dates and Spanish Marcona almonds then fill it with jamón serrano, queso manchego, piquillo peppers and arugula. The rich almond-date ‘butter’ ties it all together. It’s a trip to Spain!”

You should be able to find piquillo peppers in the ethnic foods or pickled vegetable section of your grocery store. The restaurant simmers the peppers with a bay leaf in a mixture of water, sugar and sherry vinegar and then layers the peppers into the sandwich.

Coca bread is a slightly sweet chewy Spanish bread, similar to focaccia. We tried the recipe with sourdough bread as well as focaccia and found it delicious no matter what the bread.

EL SUPER PAN’S PAN DE JAMÓN Y QUESO

2 (½-inch) slices focaccia or other

rustic loaf

2 tablespoons Almond-date

Spread (see recipe), divided ¼ cup roasted piquillo peppers, cut

into ¼-inch strips

2 thin slices jamón serrano A handful of arugula

2 slices manchego

Toast bread until just warm. Spread 1 tablespoon Almond-date Spread on each slice. Layer peppers evenly over one slice, then top with ham, arugula and manchego. Top with second slice, Almond-date Spread side down, and serve while bread is still warm. Makes 1 sandwich.

Per sandwich: 530 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 22 grams protein, 58 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams fiber, 25 grams total fat (11 grams saturated), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 327 milligrams sodium.

ALMOND-DATE SPREAD

½ pound medjool dates

¾ cups Marcona almonds

½ cup water, plus water for soaking

dates, divided

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

In a medium bowl, cover dates with warm water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, discarding soaking liquid, and peel and pit dates.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine peeled dates with almonds, ½ cup water and sherry vinegar. Process until mixture is smooth. Cover and keep in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Makes 1 ½ cups.

Per tablespoon: 54 calories (percent of calories from fat, 36), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 2 grams total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, trace sodium.