‘Salads for Adults’ Recipe Promotion

Mixologists are the “chefs” of the bar scene, creating new types of alcoholic drinks with seasonal fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and infusions. Natural infusions have allowed bartenders to create ‘healthy’ cocktails, and event planners have created ‘signature drinks’ worldwide. Bars are moving beyond their traditional role in the restaurant dining experience, and alcoholic beverages are becoming an important component of a restaurant menu.

Radicchio growers, Royal Rose LLC, are working with chefs and bartenders to create new applications for its Italian chicory line. Salads for Adults is a retail and foodservice campaign centered on alcohol-based dressings and sauces for Radicchio recipes. The social media component of the promotion will include additional ways to incorporate alcohol in to radicchio salad recipes, and fun ways to use radicchio in mixed drinks at the bar. Check back for new recipe additions on the www.radicchio.com website often, and follow Royal Rose Radicchio on Facebook to join the Salads for Adults movement for yourself. Make sure to peruse the “Salads for Adults” recipe section of the website, where you will find a wide array of professionally developed recipes; Radicchio recipes utilizing vodka, whiskey, bourbon, Pinot Noir, sangria, tequila, even beer!

About the Book Lidia’s Italy in America: 

After taking countless television viewers on a journey into her own kitchen and into kitchens across Italy, with her newest book Lidia Bastianich now invites fans on a road trip into the heart of modern Italian American cuisine. Lidia shared her journey into Italian American communities throughout the United States, where chefs, families and farmers have created something new out of the recipes passed down from their ancestors. Traditions and methods have evolved, but at the heart of each dish is something undeniably Italian. Bastianich’s appreciation for family business and Italian tradition intersected perfectly in our own Salinas Valley, where many Italian immigrants on family farms settled, growing artichokes, garlic, grapes, broccoli, chicories, and so much more. Salinas shares a similar coastal climate and soil composition with many Italian growing regions, so Italian vegetable varieties, like those embraced by Royal Rose, naturally grow well throughout Monterey County’s “Fresh Appalachian.”

• 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.

Soften Radicchio’s Bitterness by Soaking in Water

Radicchio’s bitter edge adds flavor complexity to salads and cooked dishes. If needed or desired you can soften radicchio’s bite by soaking it in water for at least 20 minutes before serving. The amount of time spent in the water will control the intensity of the bitter flavor. As an added bonus–soaking radicchio in ice water increases the intensity of its bright red color.

Cooking Radicchio Changes Its Flavor & Color Dramatically

Cooking radicchio brings out its natural sugars, creating a delicious new flavor profile. The heat of cooking also causes radicchio turns it a soft brown much like a caramelized onion.

Preserving Radicchio Bright Red Color For Presentation in Cooked Dishes

To preserve radicchio’s brilliant color in recipes in which cooking is required try this expert trick: Dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar or honey in 2 cups of hot water. Allow to cool and add ice to make ice bath. Boil equal amounts of water and white wine vinegar. Blanch cut radicchio in vinegar solution and plunge immediately into sweet icy bath. This not only preserves the color of raw radicchio but sweetens your radicchio as well.