July 19, 2012
I’ve always associated radicchio with cold winter months, but for the first time, I’ve managed to successfully grow summer radicchio. If you want to give this green a try, I spotted it at the farmers market on Saturday.
Personally, I enjoy the bitter and assertive taste of this Italian chicory, but I admit it’s not for everyone. Preparation is key to winning people over to team radicchio. You can shave it into salads for great color, texture and punch, or sauté it with bacon, shallots and red wine vinegar for a nice warm slaw as a nest for your ribs.
Or you can try my summer rendition of a warm radicchio salad. I love the way the creamy Gorgonzola melts, settling into the crannies of the leaves. This is one of those recipes that there are no precise measurements. Whenever I roast something, I finish with a little olive oil for seasoning and add a pinch of salt for taste. It’s not an exact science here; it’s just easy, fresh, delicious and quick.
Serves 4
2 small heads of Radicchio
Juice of half and orange
Sea salt
Olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 heaping teaspoon Gorgonzola, per half
Cherry tomatoes
Red chili flakes
Slice the radicchio in half (if they are large — like the size of a grapefruit, then slice them in quarters). Lay them, cut side up, on a cookie sheet and sprinkle each piece with sea salt and squirt with the juice of half an orange.
Drizzle the pieces with olive oil. Scatter one clove of garlic over the radicchio and spoon with one teaspoon of crumbled Gorgonzola. Broil about 5 minutes on high about 6 inches from the broiler, until the cheese has melted and the sides of the radicchio are golden brown.
Fit each piece in small bowls and garnish with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes sliced in half, olive oil and red chili flakes.
