We’re officially in love with radicchio. This intensely flavored member of the chicory family grows in heads of burgundy-red leaves with bright white veins and can brighten up everything from salads to pasta.
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What is Radicchio and what are its health benefits?
Radicchio is a member of the chicory family. "Chioggia" the most common variety of this intensely flavored vegetable grows in heads of burgundy-colored leaves with bright white veins. Treviso is a type of radicchio that grows in oblong rather than rounded heads. Like all chicory varieties radicchio has a structural strength and a distinct bitterness that balances the sweeter more delicate lettuces with which it is often paired. Although crunchy intensely bitter radicchio is most often a salad ingredient it mellows considerably when roasted grilled or sautéed in olive oil and tossed with pasta.
Radicchio will turn slightly brown when cut from the root but there should be no browning anywhere else. The heads should be compact and the leaves should look crisp and fresh with no blemishes or bruises. Avoid heads that are very large; they can be tough and very bitter.
Store radicchio in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (Perforated bags allow ethylene to escape which helps keep produce fresher longer.) When using radicchio whole or in wedges trim the bottom but leave the core. Before cutting remove the core and break off the leaves if necessary. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
