In this Italian version of a blue cheese wedge salad, the pungent Gorgonzola, the fatty, salty warm pancetta, and the bitter radicchio get drizzled with a sweet balsamic reduction that you can also sprinkle over a soft cheese (I like La Tur from Piedmont) or some grilled peaches for dessert. It can keep in your refrigerator forever. Here, it adds a touch of sweetness to the bitter radicchio wedge. Someone asked me how I get the vegetables at Little Owl to taste so good. Apart from the fact that I let Mother Nature dictate what I make by cooking in season, when flavors are at their peak, I also try to satisfy all of our sweet, salty, bitter, and sour taste receptors in one bite! And this is one of those all-in-one-bite, happy-on-your-tongue dishes.
SERVES 4
1 cup [240 ml] balsamic vinegar
1 large head radicchio (about 8 oz [230 g]) or 2 small heads radicchio (about 6 oz [170 g] each), outer leaves discarded, root ends removed, and cut into 4 wedges each
8 oz [230 g] thinly sliced Italian pancetta
2 cups [40 g] arugula
1/4 cup [10 g] roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup [50 g] crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the balsamic and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until it reduces by half and gets syrupy enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes. Set aside.
Working with one radicchio wedge at a time, wrap each wedge with three raw pancetta slices. Place them on a baking sheet and roast until the pancetta is crispy, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the arugula, parsley, Gorgonzola, olive oil, and a few grinds of pepper. Using tongs, toss to combine. Divide the salad among four plates and place 1 or 2 of the radicchio wedges on top. Drizzle the balsamic reduction all over the radicchio wedges and serve immediately.