For me, this dish sings of winter. We don’t grow radicchio ourselves, but I love to see those gorgeous deep purples and speckled chartreuses gracing the winter farmers’ market. In this dish, the bitter bite of wilted radicchio is counterbalanced with the caramelly sweetness of dates. The flavors here are strong and complex, yet making this wintery side dish couldn’t be much quicker.
Roasted chicories make a flavorful side for any simple roasted chicken, lamb, steak, or brined pork chops. Vegetarian friends, try the chicories alongside a bowl of winter squash soup.
When I find both the standard Chioggia radicchio and the speckled variety (also known as Castelfranco), I like to mix the two chicories in this recipe.
serves 4
11⁄2 pounds radicchio (2 large heads Chioggia radicchio or 4–6 heads Castelfranco)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
3 or 4 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
¼ cup roasted hazelnuts, roasted salted Marcona almonds, or toasted almond slivers (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
If you are roasting round, traditional radicchio, trim off the stem ends, peel off a layer of outer leaves, and cut each head into 6 wedges—don’t worry if the leaves loosen up and the wedges are not intact. If you are using smaller heads of speckled radicchio, go ahead and quarter them. Place the radicchio onto a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss with your hands to coat. Sprinkle with salt.
Roast the radicchio in the hot oven, shaking the pan after a few minutes to ensure even cooking. Take the radicchio from the oven after 7 to 8 minutes of cooking, when it’s tender, wilted, and just starting to char.
Toss with the chopped dates and the nuts, if you like, and serve immediately.