By The week between Christmas and New Year's. David stayed through Wednesday. Four days in the house. He slept in the guest room. He drank coffee with me every morning at 7. On Tuesday he made breakfast for me and Eduardo — eggs, a slow saute of onion and chorizo on the side, Puerto Rican toast made with pan sobao — and Eduardo said, "David, this is the best breakfast we have had in retirement." David said, "Papi, it is just eggs." Eduardo said, "No, it is the right eggs." A lifetime of watching Eduardo eat eggs, and the man has opinions.
David and I had a long conversation Monday night about the Fort Greene opportunity — the sous chef position at the Caribbean-fusion restaurant. He wants to take it. It is a big move — a pay bump, a menu of his own creation for certain sections, a restaurant with actual Caribbean ambition. The current place he is at is going in a direction that is not him. I told him: go. He said, "I am scared." I said, "Mijo, scared is the signal that something matters. If you were not scared, it would be boring." He said, "You sound like Abuela Luz María." I said, "Where do you think I got it from."
He will take the job. He will start in April. He will run the mofongo station first because the sous-chef-in-charge-of-that-station got sick last month and they need someone. Then he will move up through the menu. It is the path he has wanted for five years. I am proud. I am also a little worried because David alone in Brooklyn working sixty hours a week at a new restaurant is a recipe for burnout. But he is twenty-eight. He is strong. He will figure it out.
Tuesday he made the eggs. Wednesday he left on the 2 PM train. He took three bags of Christmas food with him. I sent four bottles of coquito, a container of pasteles for his freezer, and the last of the arroz con dulce. He hugged me at the station. He said, "Ma, thank you for being the place I come back to." I almost cried. I did not. I said, "Mijo, always." He boarded the train. I watched it pull away.
Thursday Mami came over. She ate a pavochón sandwich. She said, "David came." I said, "Yes, Mami, he came for Christmas." She said, "Good. A son who does not come home for Christmas is a son you lose." I said, "Mami, David will always come home." She said, "You have to make him want to." I said, "I know, Mami. I know." Wepa.
Thursday, after the train pulled away and the house still smelled faintly of coffee and pan sobao, Mami came over and wanted something simple — nothing festive, nothing left to explain. A pavochón sandwich had been on my mind all week, but I had sent the last of the big holiday meats home with David, so I turned to what I had: ham, a hot pan, and a soft roll. These no-fuss ham patties are the kind of thing you make when the celebration is over and you just want to sit down, eat something honest, and let the quiet settle around you.
No Fuss Ham Patties
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground cooked ham (or finely chopped cooked ham)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil or butter, for the pan
- 4 soft sandwich rolls or slices of bread, for serving
- Lettuce, sliced tomato, and mustard, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the patty base. In a large bowl, combine the ground ham, egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, mayonnaise, diced onion, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated. The mixture should hold together when pressed.
- Form the patties. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and press each into a round patty about 3/4 inch thick. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat the pan. Warm the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. You want enough heat to get a good crust without burning.
- Cook the patties. Add the patties to the skillet without crowding. Cook for 4–5 minutes per side, pressing gently once with a spatula, until each patty is deep golden brown and heated through. Work in batches if needed.
- Rest briefly. Transfer cooked patties to a paper-towel-lined plate and let them rest for 2 minutes so the crust sets.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Place each patty on a roll or bread. Add lettuce, tomato, and a smear of mustard if desired. Serve immediately while the patties are still warm and crisp.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 980mg