Smoked Ham, Roasted Radicchio, And Cheese Panini

PreparationRoast the radicchio: Heat the oven to 350°F. Lay the wedges of radicchio on a small sheet pan and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan with aluminum foil. (Covering the pan allows the radicchio to steam and roast at the same time.) Cook until very tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. (The radicchio can be roasted a day ahead.) Grill the panini: Heat a panini or sandwich grill until hot (400°F to 450°F). If you don't have a panini grill, heat a grill pan or ¬cast-¬iron pan over ¬medium--low heat. Pat the radicchio dry, if need be, and cut away any tough core. Make two sandwiches, layering the ham, cheese, and radicchio. (You may not use all of the radicchio.) Brush the outsides of the sandwiches with olive oil and grill in the press for 9 to 10 minutes; you want to crisp and brown the bread and melt the cheese a bit, but the meat need not be excessively hot. If using a pan, weight the sandwiches down with another heavy pan set on top. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, watching them carefully and adjusting the heat as needed. Cut and serve. Per serving: 330.0 calories, 310.0 calories from fat, 34.0g total fat, 8.0g saturated fat, 20.0mg cholesterol, 270.0mg sodium, 0.9g total carbs, 0.0g dietary fiber, 0.0g sugars, 6.0g protein Nutritional analysis provided by TasteBook, using the USDA Nutrition Database Bold Italian by Scott Conant. Copyright © 2008 by Scott Conant. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. Scott Conant is the chef-owner of L'Impero, which was honored with a James Beard award for best new restaurant in the country in 2003. In the spring of 2005, Scott opened Alto, which focuses on the cuisine of northern Italy. Named one of the ten best new chefs in the country in 2004 by Food & Wine, Scott cultivated his cooking style in some of Manhattan's finest Italian kitchens, including San Domenico, Il Toscanaccio, and Chianti. Joanne McAllister Smart is the co-author with Gordon Hamersley of Bistro Cooking at Home and editor of Fine Cooking's Cooking New American, both IACP award winners. A regular contributor to Fine Cooking magazine, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.

PreparationRoast the radicchio: Heat the oven to 350°F. Lay the wedges of radicchio on a small sheet pan and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan with aluminum foil. (Covering the pan allows the radicchio to steam and roast at the same time.) Cook until very tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. (The radicchio can be roasted a day ahead.) Grill the panini: Heat a panini or sandwich grill until hot (400°F to 450°F). If you don't have a panini grill, heat a grill pan or ¬cast-¬iron pan over ¬medium--low heat. Pat the radicchio dry, if need be, and cut away any tough core. Make two sandwiches, layering the ham, cheese, and radicchio. (You may not use all of the radicchio.) Brush the outsides of the sandwiches with olive oil and grill in the press for 9 to 10 minutes; you want to crisp and brown the bread and melt the cheese a bit, but the meat need not be excessively hot. If using a pan, weight the sandwiches down with another heavy pan set on top. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, watching them carefully and adjusting the heat as needed. Cut and serve. Per serving: 330.0 calories, 310.0 calories from fat, 34.0g total fat, 8.0g saturated fat, 20.0mg cholesterol, 270.0mg sodium, 0.9g total carbs, 0.0g dietary fiber, 0.0g sugars, 6.0g protein Nutritional analysis provided by TasteBook, using the USDA Nutrition Database Bold Italian by Scott Conant. Copyright © 2008 by Scott Conant. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. Scott Conant is the chef-owner of L'Impero, which was honored with a James Beard award for best new restaurant in the country in 2003. In the spring of 2005, Scott opened Alto, which focuses on the cuisine of northern Italy. Named one of the ten best new chefs in the country in 2004 by Food & Wine, Scott cultivated his cooking style in some of Manhattan's finest Italian kitchens, including San Domenico, Il Toscanaccio, and Chianti. Joanne McAllister Smart is the co-author with Gordon Hamersley of Bistro Cooking at Home and editor of Fine Cooking's Cooking New American, both IACP award winners. A regular contributor to Fine Cooking magazine, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.