My Tiny Plot

This is some of the Radicchio that I sowed back in June. It’s doing very well and turning a lovely shade of purple in the continuing cold weather. It needs a while to heart up a bit more before I harvest it. I’m guessing I will be tucking into it next month some time. I just thought I would show you how beautiful it looks in my winter garden. It really gives the whole garden a lift with it’s purple and brown leaves. As a first-time grower of Radicchio I don’t really know any recipes or good salad mixes that include Radicchio. My plan is to just chuck a few leaves into a salad and add some of my special ‘make any salad fabulous’ salad dressing – that always works! But does anyone here have some ideas on how I use Radicchio?

9 Responses to “Radicchio for Winter”

# stuarton 18 Oct 2007 at 9:03 am

http://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/recipe.php?recipeid=23&catid=5
yum
# Melindaon 18 Oct 2007 at 7:16 pm

We just make a salad with straight radicchio… sometimes we saute some shallots with a little fruit (dried cranberries, peaches or ground cherries, eg) – adds a nice sweet taste to combine with the spiciness of the raddichio. Then Matt makes his tasty balsamic, oil, and mustard dressing. Sometimes we top it off with some cotija or goat cheese, if we have it around.

One of my favorite Italian restaurants in LA (the only thing I miss about the place!) made homemade ravioli with sauted radicchio in a white sauce. It was heavenly, but I haven’t tried it yet.

Have fun!
# Joannaon 20 Oct 2007 at 3:22 pm

Braise it … halve or quarter it, and gently braise it in a little stock, with whatever flavourings you like. Why didn’t I plant some in June ;) … you hardly ever see it in a supermarket these days

Joanna
# vegmonkeyon 21 Oct 2007 at 7:20 pm

Looks fab, we’ve got purple sprouting broccoli going nicely, and some leftover rocket from the summer that looks lovely
# Kerrion 25 Oct 2007 at 5:36 am

I want your recipe for “make any salad taste good” salad dressing! Pretty Please??

I think Radicchio tastes good simmered in a pan (wilted down) and then with a little garlic, salt and pepper! Yum!!
# mtpon 28 Oct 2007 at 9:25 am

Thanks for all the ideas! Kerri my ‘Make Any Salad Taste Good’ salad dressing is really very simple.
Squeeze half a lemon into a glass jug.
Add salt and whisk to dissolve it. Then add a teaspoon full of English mustard. Whisk while adding olive oil until thickened.

Ta-da!
# Lila Das Guptaon 30 Oct 2007 at 4:24 pm

Lovely photograph, as usual.
Like any ‘bitter’ lettuce you need vinegar (balsamic or otherwise)and a little salt to help counter it. The only problem is that sometimes the sharpness of the vinegar takes over from the flavour of the lettuce. A good substitute is to add half vinegar/half orange juice or a straight orange juice and olive oil dressing. Works a treat.
# claireon 12 Apr 2009 at 7:47 pm

How lovely this all looks and sounds.
I dont have a plot but wonder if anyone knows where in London you can actually buy radicchio? It seems so hard to find and I love it?

Thanks!
# Rebeccaon 28 Oct 2010 at 12:10 pm

Thank you so much for the picture. I have a fair amount of this coming up in my garden from last year. I guess it reseeded itself and I wasn’t sure what it was. Now I know.