Radicchio too bitter? Dip it in cold water!
Origin
Radicchio (from the Latin word radix, root), is a particular variety of chicory. The radicchio you can buy today comes from the red leaves chicory from the Far East. Pliny the Elder was convinced that radicchio was able to purify blood and help with insomnia. The first cultivations in Europe are from the XV Century and were located in Northern Italy, particularly in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto. Farmers went through a careful selection, creating delicious varieties that are called now a day with the name of their birthplace. The most famous one is the variety from Chioggia, but also very known is the one from Treviso. All of them received the IGP mark.
Cook It
The taste of radicchio depends on the variety and on when the harvest is picked: it will be bitter if it is tardive or from Variegato di Castelfranco, a bit sweeter if premature or from Chioggia, and half way if from Treviso. But all these varieties have something in common: the incomparable crunchiness. Radicchio is a type of chicory that you can eat raw or cooked, and it can be combined with any dish. Radicchio is perfect for savoury pies, main courses and side dishes. You can stew it, grill it, marinate it or barbecue it.
Did you know That?
Radicchio is perfect for a low calories diet: it has a very low amount of energetic content and it contains many fibers that are able to keep the sugars in the blood. And it’s not over! It’s full of water, and so it has incredible detox properties. It’s full of minerals and vitamins… no wonder way Pliny the Elder loved it so much! And to think that it was considered a poor food for so long… but now it’s back on track again, with all its healthy deliciousness! From its juice it’s possible to make skin and hair products. In the north of Italy is so loved in Veneto.
