Radicchio is the Italian name for many varieties of red-leafed chicory. We use three types in the restaurant.
• Radicchio rosso di Verona, commonly known as radicchio, is round and cabbage shaped. It is the least bitter and most widely available throughout the year. The leaves are thick and are very good deep-fried, grilled or roasted. Do not be tempted to use them in salads.
• Radicchio di Treviso rosso precoce Commonly known as trevise, this is the first to appear in the shops around Christmas; the season lasts until the end of March. The heads are elongated with thin, crisp red leaves and wide white ribs and stalks. The leaves are delicious in salads; use the white ribs and stalks in the base for risotto and soups.
• Radicchio di Treviso tardivo The most flavourful and prized, this comes last in the season. It is less common, even in Italy, as it is only grown in a small area around the town of Treviso. Identifiable by its large thick edible root and long, thin, pointed dark red leaves, it’s delicious simply grilled or pan-fried and is equally good in salads.
Radicchio does grow in our climate. The growing period is throughout the summer, autumn and winter. For salads we pick the outer small green leaves in the early summer. Later on in the autumn we cut out the smallest centre leaves from the plants and use them in salads. The larger outer leaves eventually die off, which allows the plant to develop the second leaf crop that will be the familiar, crisp, dark red closed buds of the radicchio.