We’re experts on the art of radicchio. Give your menu a little lift with these fun tips and ideas:
• Crown a bed of shredded romaine with a wedge of radicchio; ladle a generous portion of creamy blue cheese dressing over and garnish with chopped scallions and a grind of black pepper. Serve with a knife and fork.
• Toss radicchio with shredded napa cabbage, green onions, chopped almonds, mandarin orange segments and a sweet-sour vinaigrette for a colorful and slightly different slaw.
• Crown a bed of shredded romaine with a wedge of radicchio; ladle a generous portion of creamy blue cheese dressing over and garnish with chopped scallions and a grind of black pepper. Serve with a knife and fork.
• Toss radicchio with shredded napa cabbage, green onions, chopped almonds, mandarin orange segments and a sweet-sour vinaigrette for a colorful and slightly different slaw.
• Wrap pieces of fresh mozzarella with thin slices of prosciutto or ham; then wrap in a leaf of radicchio and grill over medium-hot fire. Serve grilled salad with knife and fork garnished with a fresh tomato, garlic and basil salsa.
• Grill wedges of radicchio as part of a mixed vegetable grilled salad plate—include asparagus, thick slices of sweet onion, rounds of sweet potato. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
• Toss finely chopped radicchio with baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced red onion and chopped toasted hazelnuts; dress with a bacon-sweet-sour dressing and garnish with crumbled goat cheese.
• Start with a classic French potato salad and stir in a couple of handfuls of colorful shredded radicchio for color and crunch.
• Toss cooked wild rice with chopped pecans, dried cherries or cranberries and some chopped onion; dress with a balsamic vinaigrette and stir in chopped radicchio.
• Sauté radicchio with onion in olive oil; toss with cooked and cooled pasta shapes, Parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon and a garlicky viniagrette.
• Toss sweet onion, chopped radicchio and sliced navel oranges together with a cider vinegar vinaigrette spiked with a little chili powder.
• Cook white beans with garlic and sage; drain and cool. Marinate chopped radicchio in a sweet-sour vinaigrette; serve beans atop bed or radicchio. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and shavings of Parmesan.