Best New Nonstick Pans in Food and Wine Magazine

Did you see the list of best new non-stick pans in the March issue of Food and Wine magazine? The Fissler Solea frypan is number two on the list. It doesn't look like a nonstick pan. Instead of a black non-stick coating it has a waffled, polished stainless steel surface, called Novogrill. It's not a pan that you would want to make pancakes or an omelette in, like other non-stick pans. The Novogrill surface provides stick resistance, especially when cooking meat, while allowing a browned crust to form on the meat, without the addition of oil. The Novogrill surface is found on other pans in the Fissler cookware range, including the Crispy Steelux pan I cooked this ham steak in. Cooking a thick slice of ham the way you would cook a steak is not something I had ever done before but I saw this great Russian style ham at the deli counter, when I went to buy cheese, and I was inspired. You can do this with canned ham but if you have a good European style deli or butcher with French, German or Eastern European style ham, you'll have the centerpiece of a great dinner.

Here's how to do it:
Slice the ham in thick, 1/4 inch (or even a little thicker) slices (this can be done at the deli counter). Heat the pan on high heat until a drop of water beads on the surface. Lay the slice of ham down and turn the heat down to medium. Allow to brown on one side, then lift off with a fork and turn to the other side. Cook until nicely browned. After you are done cooking, put a glass of water in the pan while it is still hot, to make clean up easier.