Pancetta Wrapped Radicchio Al Forno With Aged Balsamico Condimento Recipes

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 500°F.
• Remove and discard the outer leathery leaves from the radicchio. Cut the radicchio heads in half through the core, leaving the core intact, and cut each half through the core again into four wedges. Starting 1/2 inch below the tip of one radicchio wedge, wrap one piece of pancetta around it, leaving 1/2 inch at the core end of each wedge exposed. Lay the radicchio on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining radicchio and pancetta, making sure the wedges are lined up in a single layer without touching each other.
• Place the radicchio in the oven to bake for 14 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the wedges over. Return the radicchio to the oven and bake until the pancetta is crisp and browned in places. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the radicchio to a serving platter, laying the wedges side by side facing alternate directions. Pour the fat rendered from the pancetta from the baking sheet into a small bowl. Add the balsamico, stir to combine with the fat, and drizzle over the radicchio. Use a microplane or another fine grater to grate a light dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the radicchio, and serve warm.

Steps:

• To make the stuffing, warm the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook to render the fat but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, sage, rosemary, and thyme; season with the salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is tender and translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the onion and garlic from browning. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer the stuffing to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to chill.
• To prepare the quail, rinse and pat dry with paper towels, checking for any remaining bones or feathers. Combine the onion, thyme, vinegar, honey, and pepper in a bowl or nonreactive baking dish large enough to hold all the quail. Place the quail in the marinade and turn to coat them on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place the quail in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the quail from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and lay them on a baking sheet. One at a time, lay a quail on your work surface, open up the legs, and spoon 2 tablespoons of stuffing inside the cavity. Cross the legs to close in the stuffing. Slide the skewer through the bottom leg and then through the top leg and rotate the skewer so it's perpendicular to the legs. Return the quail to the baking sheet and repeat, stuffing the remaining birds in the same way. Unravel the pancetta if it's from a round slice and stack two slices of pancetta on your work surface. Lay the quail on top of the pancetta and wrap it around the quail, moving along the body of the quail to cover as much as possible. Return the quail to the baking sheet and repeat, wrapping the remaining quail in the remaining pancetta. (You can prepare the dish to this point up to a day in advance. Wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to grill. Season with salt and pepper on both sides before grilling.)
• To fry the sage leaves, pour enough olive oil into a small skillet or saucepan to fill it 1 inch deep and line a small plate with paper towels. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into it. Add the sage leaves and fry for about 30 seconds, until crisp but not browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sage from the oil, transfer to the paper towels to drain, and season with salt. Strain the sage-infused oil through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve it to fry sage another time or to drizzle over grilled meats or vegetables. (The sage can be fried up to several hours in advance. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.)
• To prepare the radicchio, combine the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the radicchio leaves and soak in the marinade while you grill the quail or for up to 24 hours.
• Prepare a hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill or preheat a grill pan or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Brush the grill grates or grill pan with olive oil.
• Place the quail breast side down on the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is browned and the pancetta is crisp. Turn the quail, taking care to keep the pancetta intact, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the other side. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, turning them often to prevent the outsides from burning, until they are cooked to medium. To check for doneness, squeeze the quail at the thickest point; if the flesh feels firm, it is done. If the quail appear to be searing too quickly, move them to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat on the grill pan so they can cook through before the outsides burn. Remove the quail to a plate to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. While the quail are resting, grill the radicchio for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is browned in places but not crisp.
• To serve, remove the skewers and discard. Drape two radicchio leaves in the center of each plate, overlapping them. Lay one quail on each serving of radicchio and rest the other in another direction on top of the first. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey over and around each serving. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the balsamico and 1 teaspoon of the finishing-quality olive oil, and scatter the fried sage leaves over each plate.
• suggested wine pairing
• Amarone Della Valpolicella (Veneto)