Over the last two decades I developed a taste for bitter foods, with Campari and Aperol serving as my gateway drug. I started drinking Campari and Soda in my early twenties (first as a thinly veiled attempt at appearing cultured, and then because I actually loved it.) Soon after, I was introduced to the more assertive Negroni, which remains my top cocktail. If I’m ordering a drink at a bar, it’s a Negroni.
The Negroni led me down a path to Fernet Branca and the world of bitter Italian digestifs, and then I was hooked. It wasn’t long until I began to crave those same bitter notes in my food; that led me into the world of dandelion greens and bitter Italian chicories.
While many varieties of chicories aren’t readily available at most groceries, Radicchio is a familiar sight and a common chicory to find in your produce sections. The tightly packed, purple orbs look like a cabbage but punch like a heavyweight. Their crunchy and robust layers offer an assertive bite to any salad when served raw, which makes it a brilliant addition to a salad boasting a rich, piquant dressing like Caesar.
I keep a solid stock on hand because they outlast everything else in the fridge. It is quite common for me to buy a few bulbs, forget about them, and unearth them a couple weeks later to find that beneath a few softened outer leaves, the innards are still fresh, bright, and begging to be eaten.
They take beautifully to a hard char in a hot pan until they are wilted and the bitterness has been tempered, or drizzled with oil and grilled over live fire. But this time of year I’m not doing as much grilling. It’s cold, or it’s rainy, and I’d rather do my cooking indoors. For this time of year, I like baked and marinated radicchio, a delicious option that provides a canvas for accessorizing.
This particular dish is inspired by a grilled radicchio dish we served for several years at my restaurant Leon’s, until it was retired. I’ve taken some liberties and tweaked to my liking. I encourage you to do the same.
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