Within the early Nineteen Eighties, when radicchio was simply showing in eating places like Chez Panisse and Fourth Avenue Grill in Berkeley, I had a vegetable seed firm. Le Marche Seeds Worldwide bought European and Asian seed varieties, supplying among the pioneering natural market growers of the period in addition to dwelling gardeners who wished to develop, for instance, radicchio, a leafy vegetable within the chicory household.
One spring, my companion and I made a decision to take a fast journey to Italy to go to our seed provider there to see what we might find out about radicchio. Our provider was positioned in Cesena, close to the radicchio-epicenter city of Chioggia, simply 25 miles south of Venice, the place the vegetable originated tons of of years in the past.
Radicchio is available in many shades of purple, together with this pink varietal from the Veneto area of Italy. (Getty Pictures)
After an preliminary greeting and a cup of espresso, our colleagues drove us out to huge, sandy fields on the Adriatic coast, the place radicchio heads stretched so far as you may see. We stood within the discipline, wanting down on the heads round us, all coated in frost-nipped, darkish brown, molding leaves, and nervous.
“Pull the outside leaves away,” we have been instructed. So we bent over the closest head and gently pulled again the slippery leaves, which had served as safety in opposition to the chilly temperatures. Beneath was an ideal, shiny magenta and white head of radicchio.
Our keep included a go to to an enormous warehouse on the sting of Chioggia, the place bins of newly harvested radicchio have been ready to be shipped out throughout Italy and Europe and to the US.
That evening at dinner, we have been every introduced a bowl of torn radicchio leaves, accompanied by a bottle of olive oil and several other lemons. We adopted our hosts’ lead, pushing the leaves to the facet, placing some olive oil within the bowl, squeezing in contemporary lemon and finallyadding slightly salt earlier than turning the leaves within the combination.
The pure bitterness of the leaves, tamed by the oil and balanced by the citrus, all certain along with salt, was magical. Somewhat bread for dipping, a glass of white Veneto wine, and the salad shortly disappeared.
Lately, radicchio has gone from an unique, area of interest winter vegetable to an American staple, ubiquitous in bagged combined salads and sharing area within the produce aisle with romaine and different mainstream greens.
Credit score for that is due partially to the perseverance and imaginative and prescient of Joe Manchini of Watsonville-based J. Marchini Farms, who pioneered business radicchio rising within the U.S. in 1989, and of Italians Lucio Gomiero and Carlo Boscolo who teamed with Salinas Valley growers to provide radicchio within the Nineteen Eighties beneath the label European Vegetable Specialties, now Royal Rose.
At present, the 2 corporations are among the many world’s largest radicchio producers, rising radicchio year-round. They primarily develop strains of Chioggia radicchio, the basic spherical magenta head we see in native markets. In addition they develop Castelfranco, whose pale yellow leaves are flecked with crimson, in addition to the lengthy, oval heads of Treviso. The leaves of Treviso are magenta, like Chioggia, however with a lot wider white ribs.
But it surely’s within the Bay Space wintertime farmers markets that you simply may discover the styles of chicories that proliferate in Italian markets, notably these of the Veneto in northern Italy the place radicchio originated.
You’ll doubtless spot Chioggia and Treviso varieties grown by small farms, akin to Santa Cruz County’s Soiled Woman and Marin County’s Star Route Farms and Marin Roots. However these farmers are additionally experimenting with completely different varieties, akin to Tardivo Treviso, a late number of Treviso which has lengthy, twisted white stalks edged with skinny magenta leaves — it seems like a big sea anemone or octopus.
Tardivo Treviso is one other number of radicchio, the leafy vegetable that originated in Italy. (Getty Pictures)
A hanging pair of pinks, Chicory Rosa, with flaring white-ribbed, pale pink leaves, and Verona Pink, with pink-hued leaves in varied shades, make appearances. Look too for Pan di Zucchero — which interprets to Sugar Loaf — with its lengthy oval head of tightly curled, pale inexperienced leaves.
Most uncommon of all is Puntarelle, whose heavy, clumped cluster of darkish inexperienced stalks wants particular remedy. Puntarelle is especially cherished by the Romans, and I’m very keen on the salad that takes the town’s title: Puntarelle alla Romana. The vegetable’s tubular stalks are trimmed from the woody base, then lower into skinny slices to soak in ice water for an hour or extra. Drained and dried, the succulent, curling thins are tossed with an anchovy dressing. (Puntarelle’s taste is definitely slightly delicate. It’s the dressing that’s pungent. If you want to make it milder, use much less garlic and anchovy.)
Puntarelle alla Romana is a well-liked Roman salad that clothes this radicchio cousin with a garlicky anchovy dressing. (Getty Pictures)
All these chicories may be handled roughly the identical culinarily. Typically talking, the lighter the colour of the chicories, the milder the flavour. Their commonest use is in salads — and a radicchio riff on Caesar salad is my winter go-to. Served with some good bread, it may be a meal in itself.
However radicchio can be glorious grilled or sauteed, particularly the firm-headed ones like Treviso and basic Chioggia. Grilling radicchio isn’t solely straightforward and fast to do, it’s scrumptious. The marginally charred, barely smoky taste of the grilled vegetable pairs particularly properly with grilled steak. And radicchio risotto is a specialty of the Veneto. Right here, it’s completed with Taleggio, a creamy cheese that balances the fascinating, slight bitterness of the radicchio. Serve this as a primary course or as a principal, accompanied by a easy inexperienced salad and crusty bread.
A risotto made with sauteed radicchio will get added taste from the addition of Taleggio or one other cheese. (Getty Pictures)
Buon appetito!
GRILLED RADICCHIO
Serves 2 to three
INGREDIENTS
1 giant head Treviso or spherical Chioggia sort radicchio
2 tablespoons further virgin olive oil
¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt
DIRECTIONS
If utilizing Treviso, depart the basis finish intact and slice the top lengthwise into halves or, if fairly giant, quarters. If a spherical sort, once more leaving the basis intact, lower lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices. You’re going to get 3 to 4 slices for grilling (the ends can be utilized in salads).
Place a grill pan on the stovetop over excessive warmth or preheat a charcoal or fuel grill. Place the sliced radicchio in a shallow baking dish; pour over the oil and sprinkle with the salt. Flip a number of occasions to coat.
Place the radicchio slices on the new grill and cook dinner till golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and grill the opposite facet(s) till golden brown, 2 or 3 minutes extra. Serve sizzling or at room temperature.
RISOTTO WITH TREVISO, TALEGGIO AND RED WINE
Serves 4 to six
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced radicchio, about 1 small head, cored
4 cups selfmade or bought low-sodium rooster broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
½ onion, finely chopped, about ½ cup
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ to ¾ cup dry purple wine, akin to merlot or cabernet sauvignon
6 ounces Taleggio, rind eliminated and cheese lower into small items
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
½ cup chopped, toasted walnuts
DIRECTIONS
In a frying pan over medium excessive warmth, warmth the olive oil. Add the radicchio and sauté, stirring typically, till the perimeters are golden, about 4 minutes. Put aside on paper towels to empty.
In a saucepan, carry broth to a simmer over medium warmth. Cut back to low.
In one other saucepan, soften 1 tablespoon butter over medium excessive warmth. When it’s foaming, add the onion and sauté till translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir, cooking till the rice turns into shiny, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir consistently, till the rice has absorbed many of the wine, 3 or 4 minutes.
Cut back the warmth to medium and add a ladleful of the new broth combination, stirring till the liquid is nearly totally absorbed. Proceed including the broth, a ladleful at a time, and stirring till the rice is tender, however nonetheless barely agency within the middle, and creamy, about 20 minutes
Stir within the radicchio, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the cheese. Stir within the salt and pepper. Style and regulate seasonings if wanted. Spoon into warmed bowls, high with the walnuts and serve directly.
RADICCHIO CAESAR SALAD
Serves 2 to three as a principal course, 4 as a facet salad
INGREDIENTS
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 good high quality anchovy fillets, chopped, plus 4 extra for optionally available garnish
2 to three tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 head radicchio, cored and leaves torn or chopped to make 2 to three cups
1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 cup croutons, ideally selfmade
Shredded cooked rooster, optionally available
DIRECTIONS
Utilizing a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and anchovies collectively to make a paste.
Slowly add the olive oil to make the dressing. Scrape the dressing right into a serving bowl, add the cheese and style for seasoning, including slightly salt if desired.
Add the radicchio and toss properly to coat. Add 2/3 of the croutons and toss once more. Garnish with the remaining croutons and the optionally available anchovies or rooster, if utilizing.
PUNTARELLE ROMAN SALAD
Serves 2 to three as a primary course, 4 as a facet salad
Puntarelle, a radicchio cousin within the chicory household, wants slightly further care to carry out its delights. Right here, the stalks are sliced and soaked in ice water for one to a few hours to cut back the vegetable’s bitterness. (Getty Pictures)
INGREDIENTS
1 giant or 2 small heads puntarelle
6 anchovies, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons purple wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to style
¼ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
INGREDIENTS
Take away the leaves of the puntarella and discard or use them in soup. Reduce by way of the bottom of the stalks, then lower away any robust, woody ends. Slice the stalks lengthwise into skinny strips and place in a bowl with ice for 1 to three hours. Drain and pat dry.
In a salad bowl, mash the anchovies and garlic collectively to make a paste. Add the vinegar and olive oil and whisk to make the dressing. Style and add sea salt if desired. Add the pepper and whisk once more.
Add the puntarelle, which can now have curled, toss properly and function a primary course or facet salad.
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