JANUARY 2021 71
Tuna Melts with Pickled
Chicories
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR 30 MIN, PLUS 8
HR REFRIGERATION; SERVES 2
Buttery, toasted grilled cheese meets a
tuna melt in this lunchtime classic, with a
pop of tangy-sweet flavor from pickled
chicories. Leftover pickles make a nice
addition to salads or can be served as a
condiment with grilled or roasted meats.
PICKLED CHICORIES
1 lb. mixed sturdy chicories (such as
Treviso tardivo radicchio)
1 /^3 cup thinly sliced shallot
3 cups water
1 cup rice vinegar
1 /^2 cup red wine vinegar
1 /^4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
and thinly sliced
1 / 2 tsp. black peppercorns
1 / 2 tsp. crushed red pepper
TUNA SALAD
1 (5-oz.) can solid white tuna in oil
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill
1 / 4 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
4 (^1 /^2 -inch-thick) sourdough bread
slices
1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
- Make the pickled chicories: Cut chic-
ory leaves crosswise into^1 / 2 -inch pieces;
discard woody stems. Place chicory
leaves and shallot in a lidded glass jar or
ceramic container; set aside. Combine 3
cups water, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar,
sugar, salt, ginger, peppercorns, and
crushed red pepper in a medium sauce-
pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high,
stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar and
salt. Remove from heat; let cool to room
temperature, about 1 hour. Pour mixture
through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a
bowl; discard solids. Pour strained liquid
over chicory mixture in jar; cover with lid,
and seal. Let stand at room temperature
about 1 hour. Chill at least 8 hours or over-
night or up to 1 week.- Make the tuna salad: Stir together
(^1) / 3 cup chopped pickled chicories, 1 tea-
spoon brine from pickled chicories, tuna,
mayonnaise, dill, salt, and pepper in a
medium bowl until combined.
- Preheat oven to broil with rack 6 inches
from heat source. Brush 1 side of each
bread slice with oil; arrange bread slices in
an even layer, oiled sides up, on a rimmed
baking sheet. Broil in preheated oven until
toasted, about 3 minutes. Remove from
oven; flip bread over. Top each slice with
2 cheese slices. Return to oven; broil until
cheese is melted and beginning to brown,
2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven. - Divide tuna salad evenly between 2
toast slices, spreading to edges. Top
evenly with 1 tablespoon chopped pickled
chicories, and cover with remaining 2
toast slices. Serve immediately. —DINAH
GROSSMAN, SPINNING J BAKERY AND SODA
FOUNTAIN, CHICAGO
MAKE AHEAD Pickled chicories can be
made up to 1 week ahead and stored in an
airtight container in refrigerator.
WINE Tangy Washington state rosé: 2 019
Waterbrook Sangiovese Rosé
Puntarelle-Citrus Salad with
Roasted Beets
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR
SERVES 4Puntarelle stays bright and crisp in this
salad, while beets bring a tender, earthy
sweetness. Puntarelle is a specialty buy—
look for it at your local farmers market, or
substitute any chicory that has longer
stalks.11 /^2 lb. baby beets
1 / 2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive
oil, divided
21 / 4 tsp. fine sea salt, divided
2 lemons
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 / 4 tsp. black pepper1 head puntarelle or curly endive
(about 1^1 / 4 lb.)
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 cups mixed citrus segments (from
2 blood oranges, 2 Cara Cara
oranges, and 1 grapefruit)
2 oz. ricotta salata cheese, shaved
(about^1 / 2 cup)- Preheat oven to 375°F. Drizzle beets
with 2 tablespoons oil on a large rimmed
baking sheet; toss to coat, and arrange
beets in an even layer. Roast in preheated
oven until beets are fork-tender, 30 to 4 0
minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Rub beets
between paper towels to remove skins;
discard skins. Cut beets into halves or
quarters; transfer to a medium bowl. Stir
in 1 tablespoon oil and^1 / 4 teaspoon salt;
set aside. - While beets roast, cut 1 lemon in half
crosswise; remove and discard seeds.
Finely chop lemon. Place chopped lemon
in a small bowl; stir in remaining 2 tea-
spoons salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir
in garlic, honey, mustard, pepper, and
remaining^1 / 2 cup oil. Juice remaining
lemon to equal^1 / 4 cup; discard squeezed
lemon. Stir 2 tablespoons lemon juice into
chopped lemon mixture; reserve remain-
ing 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Set aside. - Remove and discard outer leaves of
puntarelle, reserving a few smaller leaves
for serving. Separate the puntarelle head
into individual stalks by slicing off each
individual stalk from the inner core. Slice
each puntarelle stalk in half lengthwise.
Thinly slice each puntarelle half crosswise
into 2- to 3-inch strips. Place puntarelle
strips in a bowl filled with ice water; stir in
reserved 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Let
soak 1 hour. Drain and pat dry. Transfer to
a dry large bowl. - Add parsley, dill, mint, tarragon,
reserved outer puntarelle leaves, and 2
tablespoons chopped lemon dressing to
puntarelle in bowl; toss to combine. - To serve, divide citrus segments and
roasted beets evenly among 4 plates. Top
evenly with mounds of puntarelle mixture.
Drizzle desired amount of remaining
chopped lemon dressing over exposed
outer edges of citrus and beets. Sprinkle
with ricotta salata. —ALISON HEERES,
CORIANDER KITCHEN AND FARM, DETROIT
MAKE AHEAD Puntarelle can be soaked
and drained 1 day ahead; refrigerate in an
airtight container.
WINE Earthy, apple-scented white: 2 019
Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Tradizionale
While the otherwordly stalks of puntarelle are captivating, they (and other
specialty chicories) can be tricky to source. Don’t let that discourage you
from preparing these recipes—all can be ordered from specialty purveyors,
like Baldor (baldorfood.com); found at farmers markets; or substituted with
varieties available at many grocery stores. Taste varieties for bitterness, then
adjust the acid or sweetness to reach a balance that’s pleasing to your palate.chicory sourcing