radicchio agrodolce:
(sweet and sour radicchio)ra·dic·chi·o [rah-dee-kee-oh]
noun:
a variety of chicory originating in Italy, having a compact head of reddish, white-streaked leaves: leaves and roots may be cooked or used raw in salads. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted.
To some, radicchio is that purple "cabbage-y" stuff found in pre-sorted "mediterranean" salad mixes found in your local super market's produce section, next to the wall of refrigerated salad dressings(a confession– I have a real soft spot for Marie's Creamy Ranch...) When it can be found in it natural form, radicchio is that little head of purple lettuce that costs up to $5.99 a piece! (Why does it always seem markets jack up the price of anything that sounds... European!?) Well, aside from it's beautiful color and at times high cost, radicchio is really very delicious! Granted you probably do need to have an affinity for bitter greens; broccoli rabe, kale, etc.
A really nice way to prepare radicchio is to simply quarter the head, drizzle with x.v.olive oil and place it on your grill with that gorgeous strip steak you got from your local butcher. When it's nicely browned, place the radicchio quarters on a platter till cooled, then drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and top off with some shaved parmigiano!
My favorite way to prepare radicchio though is al'agrodolce…
Cut the head in half, remove the core end, and thinly slice each half as you would cabbage for cole-slaw. Heat some x.v. olive oil in a sautee' pan with some garlic and add the shredded radicchio.
(A note on garlic– I generally just flatten the clove on my cutting board and toss it in the oil like so. Smaller minced garlic burns fast and turns acrid, where the larger pieces stay on the mellow side... but you already knew that...) Add salt and pepper and allow to wilt a little. Add some sugar or honey, a splash of orange juice, and a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar. (A note on balsamic vinegar: Reducing a liter of... let's say... more "budget friendly" balsamic vinegar to about a cup or so– intensifies the overall flavor and sweetness of the vinegar... but you may have already known that too...)
When the radicchio is well wilted and looks... well– good enough to eat, remove it from the pan and eat it! It can be served with any grilled meat or fish (very nice with seared salmon!), or simply on a slice of rustic bread with shaved parmigiano!
Buon apetito!
A really nice way to prepare radicchio is to simply quarter the head, drizzle with x.v.olive oil and place it on your grill with that gorgeous strip steak you got from your local butcher. When it's nicely browned, place the radicchio quarters on a platter till cooled, then drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and top off with some shaved parmigiano!
My favorite way to prepare radicchio though is al'agrodolce…
Cut the head in half, remove the core end, and thinly slice each half as you would cabbage for cole-slaw. Heat some x.v. olive oil in a sautee' pan with some garlic and add the shredded radicchio.
(A note on garlic– I generally just flatten the clove on my cutting board and toss it in the oil like so. Smaller minced garlic burns fast and turns acrid, where the larger pieces stay on the mellow side... but you already knew that...) Add salt and pepper and allow to wilt a little. Add some sugar or honey, a splash of orange juice, and a tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar. (A note on balsamic vinegar: Reducing a liter of... let's say... more "budget friendly" balsamic vinegar to about a cup or so– intensifies the overall flavor and sweetness of the vinegar... but you may have already known that too...)
When the radicchio is well wilted and looks... well– good enough to eat, remove it from the pan and eat it! It can be served with any grilled meat or fish (very nice with seared salmon!), or simply on a slice of rustic bread with shaved parmigiano!
Buon apetito!
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