Radicchio is a type of chicory green that thrives in cooler temperatures and is tremendously popular in Europe, where it's prized for its crispness and robust bitter flavor, as well as its astonishingly beautiful leaves.
Storage
Radicchio keeps quite well in an open plastic bag, in the refrigerator, for two weeks or more.
Cooking Tips
Radicchio stands up to bold, rich ingredients like toasted nuts, garlic, capers, fresh croutons, anchovies (even if you think you don’t like them), and strong cheeses (think blue cheese, parmesan, fontina, or goat cheese). Radicchio leaves are at their brightest when eaten raw: torn or chopped and tossed in a salad. They also do well cooked: grilled or roasted in wedges, or wilted in a soup, risotto, or pot of beans. If serving in a salad, be sure to give it a stronger-than-usual dressing, maybe with sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, and/or lemon juice.
Recipes
Bitter Greens Salad with Melted Cheese & Toasted Nuts Chicories with Preserved Lemon, Yogurt, & Mint Radicchio & Radish Salad with Walnut-Anchovy Dressing Toro Bravo’s Radicchio Salad with Manchego Vinaigrette Veneto-Style Radicchio Risotto with Walnuts & Blue Cheese Pasta with Radicchio, Bacon, & Walnuts Marinated White Bean & Radicchio Salad Bittersweet Roasted Radicchio with Ricotta & Dates