Do you like bitter greens? We love them! So, this season we are trialing a few different varieties of radicchio to find our favourite.
A few weeks ago we offered both Sugarloaf and Castelfranco radicchios. This week we have a Treviso variety that is deep purple with white veins.
If all of this sounds like gibberish, allow me to explain. Radicchio is a type of leaf chicory that is popular in Italian cuisine. They come in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes. They are cold-weather tolerant and are known for their characteristic bitter taste.
How to eat radicchio
Although it looks like lettuce, radicchio does not spoil as quickly. It will keep for 4-5 weeks in a plastic bag or container in the fridge.
Our favourite way to eat it is to simply chop it and add it to salads with lettuce, arugula and/or spinach and a balsamic-based vinaigrette. If you find bitter flavours a bit intense, simply add it in smaller quantities to your salads so it's not overpowering.
It can also be grilled or roasted! This will mellow out the bitterness.
Here are a few recipe suggestions:
Penne with Radicchio Spinach and Bacon
Bitter Greens Salad with Melted Cheese
Bitter Greens with Carrots, Turnip and Orange
Frisee, Radicchio, and Fennel Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
