RECIPE / RALPH SCHELLING

Cured-beef sandwich with tapenade

First, a confession: this is a sandwich recipe but really it’s a recipe for a versatile tapenade, which is as comfy nestled between bread as it is as a pesto substitute for pasta or a punchy salad dressing. You can thank us later.

• Ingredients: Serves 4
• 1 radicchio
• 8 walnut kernels
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsps dark balsamic vinegar
• 120g ricotta
• 2 tbsps grated parmesan
• 1 tsp mustard
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices of farmhouse bread
• 8 slices of cured beef

• Method:
• 1. Cut the base off the radicchio and set aside four leaves. Finely dice the rest.
• 2. Heat the walnuts in a dry pan on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, moving regularly until they start to brown further but before they burn. Add the sugar to the pan and turn down the heat a little so that it caramelises without burning. After 1 or 2 minutes, add the oil and sauté the finely chopped radicchio. When it’s soft and translucent, add the balsamic vinegar and let it reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• 3. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool slightly then mix in the ricotta, parmesan and mustard. Blitz the mixture in a blender until it has a pesto-like consistency, and season to taste.
• 4. Layer it thickly on each slice of bread with the sliced meat and leaves.