Ham and Radicchio Toast

By Sam Sifton

Published February 16, 2019

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
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This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen. Take a quick trip to the supermarket on the way home: bread and a small head of radicchio, as well as a half-pound of thin-sliced ham at the deli counter and some good mustard. When you’re ready to eat, cut the ham and radicchio into ribbons, then sauté the radicchio in a medium-hot sauté pan with a few glugs of olive oil and some chopped garlic until softened. Take the pan off the stove, add the ham and toss to combine. Meanwhile, slice the bread — you want two slices per person — and toast it if you like. Either way, slash some mustard onto the slices. Pile the warm radicchio and ham on top and consume with good wine. Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.

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4 out of 5
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Comments

Violet

A decadent lunch! I used half a small radicchio and a few slices of ham for a single serving (2 toasts). Toasted some sourdough slices with 3 pieces of Swiss cheese and layered on plenty of whole grain mustard. Toasting is not optional, the crunch is a great contrast and keeps the bread sturdy enough to hold up the toppings. Glass of red was a great pairing. Yum!

Lauren in Spain

I made a grilled swiss cheese layered with the ham, radiccio and mustard. I sautéed in a few thin slices of onion, too. Wonderful lunch with sliced apples on the side.

Liz

Best way I have ever eaten radicchio. I've been doing something similar with cabbage (plus capers fried in butter). Sweated a mix of diced celery and onion in the pan first. I like to frizzle the ham to make it crispy. But take care not to burn the garlic if you turn up the heat for that. Delicious with or without bread. For a gooey treat I mixed in a soft-boiled egg.

Ted A

I loved this… I julienned a bit of an apple and chose to sauté that with the radicchio AND the ham (Black Forest, thinly sliced) all together, while two slices of a hearty multigrain bread toasted, which I then slathered with Pommery mustard… topping with the sautéed mix and finishing with shredded Swiss cheese on top for 2 minutes under the broiler. R

Elle

I've love this and have made it many times. Two winning adjustments: Sautee hot soppressata to flavor the oil instead of or in addition to the garlic. Stir in some creamy goat cheese right before serving.

Paula

Fantastic quick lunch. I subbed ham for slices of prosciutto on top (yolo).

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