Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar and Fior di Latte
Do you know the Radicchio? It is a type of relatively bitter red salad of Italian origin. Often cooked in salad, today I propose you an original recipe of roasted Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar and Fior di Latte.
This recipe is perfect to serve as a starter or as a light meal with toasted bread in olive oil.
Where does radicchio come from?
The radicchio is a variety of lettuce, or more precisely chicory, shaped like a ball and red in color. It originates from the North East of Italy, which is why it is sometimes called Treviso lettuce.
How to cook radicchio?
Radicchio is cooked like endive and cabbage. It can be eaten raw in a salad or cooked as in this recipe.
How to reduce the bitterness of radicchio?
The particularity of radicchio is that it is particularly bitter. Personally, I am very sensitive to bitterness (I am for example unable to appreciate a gin and tonic, but that’s another story!).
To reduce the bitterness of radicchio, here are 3 techniques directly recommended by the Italian blogLe Ricette Di Gessica:
- Soak the whole radicchio for 3 to 4 hours in a bowl of cold water.
- If you don’t have time, blanch the radiccio, cut it into quarters and blanch them for 1 to 2 minutes in boiling water. This technique is not really suitable if you want to use it in a salad afterwards.
- Finally, if you really don’t have time, select only the top part of the radicchio and leave the trunk and whitest parts aside.
Finally, my advice to counterbalance the bitter taste of radicchio is to combine it with slightly sweet and acidic ingredients. That’s why radicchio pairs wonderfully with red balsamic vinegar, as I did in this recipe.
This one is slightly adiculated and relatively sweet. Be careful, however, to choose the “real” balsamic vinegar, that of the IGP of Modena. Its texture must be syrupy to obtain the sweet taste that goes so well with radicchio.
If the addition of balsamic vinegar is not enough to reduce the bitterness of the radicchio, you can add a dash of honey.
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Recipe for Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar and Fior di Latte
For 2 servings you need the following ingredients.
Ingredients
For the radicchio with balsamic vinegar
- 1 radicchio rosso
- 1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP
- Fresh thyme
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A drizzle of honey, optional
For the toppings
- 1 mozzarella Fior di Latte
- 100 g pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 pomegranate, seeded
- 100 g of arugula
- Olive oil extra virgin
Preparation
If your pine nuts are not toasted, start by toasting them in a hot pan without adding fat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Set aside.
Wash the radicchio and cut it into quarters. Remove the white part (the heart) from the four quarters and cut the leaves roughly. In a pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the radicchio. Add the fresh thyme. Add salt and pepper.
Sauté for 10 minutes until radicchio is tender but not overcooked. At the end of the cooking, add the balsamic vinegar.
Taste the radicchio and it is still too bitter for your taste, add a drizzle of honey.
Place arugula, radicchio with balsamic vinegar, pomegranate, mozzarella for di latte in the center. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Pictures
Find the steps of the recipe in pictures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute some of the ingredients ?
As with every blog post, here are some tips for substituting ingredients in this recipe:
- Pine nuts: You can replace the pine nuts with roasted hazelnuts or almonds.
- Arugula: You can replace arugula with lamb’s lettuce or baby spinach.
- Pomegranate: You can replace the pomegranate with caramelized apple or pear pieces.
How long does this dish keep?
This recipe for Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar and Fior di Latte is made to be eaten relatively quickly. If you have leftover cooked balsamic vinegar radicchio, you can store it in the refrigerator in a closed container for 24 hours.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
But really, over time, the radicchio will get soggy so it’s best to eat this recipe quickly.
Can I freeze this recipe?
I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
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Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar and Fior di Latte
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Ingredients
For the radicchio with balsamic vinegar
- 1 radicchio rosso
- 1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP
- Fresh thyme
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A drizzle of honey optional
For the toppings
- 1 mozzarella Fior di Latte
- 100 g pine nuts toasted
- 1/4 pomegranate seeded
- 100 g of arugula
- Olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- If your pine nuts are not toasted, start by toasting them in a hot pan without adding fat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Set aside.
- Wash the radicchio and cut it into quarters. Remove the white part (the heart) from the four quarters and cut the leaves roughly. In a pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the radicchio. Add the fresh thyme. Add salt and pepper.
- Sauté for 10 minutes until radicchio is tender but not overcooked. At the end of the cooking, add the balsamic vinegar.
- Taste the radicchio and it is still too bitter for your taste, add a drizzle of honey.
- Place arugula, radicchio with balsamic vinegar, pomegranate, mozzarella for di latte in the center. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
