Radicchio, a familiar vegetable, hails from the Veneto region. While there are a number of different kinds of radicchio, the most prestigious are two that have garnered Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) status, Radicchio Rosso di Treviso and Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco. Radicchio Rosso di Chioggia is also prized while Radicchio Rosso di Verona somewhat less so. Radicchio from Treviso is the most prestigious of all and is also the most flavorful. There are two main types of this sexy lettuce, one is called precoce and the other is tardiva. The first is harvested early and the second is harvested later, as one might imagine. Just like with wine, radicchio that has a longer “hang time” on the vine has more flavor. Radicchios from Treviso and from Castelfranco have their own trade organization, the Consorzio Tutela Radicchio Rosso di Treviso e Variegato di Castelfranco. Radicchio is a delicate vegetable and quite versatile. It changes its taste depending on how you cook it. It can be bitter when eaten raw and it can have a spicy, zesty quality to it as well. It mellows with cooking and develops sweet notes. Oddly enough, Radicchio is a member of the Chicory family and is related to the Belgian endive.
Wine pairing with radicchio can be somewhat difficult because of its bitter notes. Generally speaking, raw vegetables are hard to pair with wine while cooked vegetables fare marginally better. Often the pairing is done using the sauce that accompanies a vegetable as the guide. With cooked radicchio, for example, one might choose a white wine from the Alto Adige. Two wines by H. Lun, a producer in the Sud Tyrol come to mind, their Muller Thurgau and Riesling. H. Lun was founded in 1840 and is the oldest winery in the Sud Tyrol/Alto Adige. These wines have just enough residual sugar to offset the bitterness in the cooked radicchio without overwhelming it
Altacucina has listed a few recipes on its website which use radicchio. Here are two nice ones for summer, Red Mullet Carpaccio with Artichoke and Pink Grapefruit Salad and Flowers of Bresaola with Casatella on a bed of radicchio rosso.
Radicchio is a subtle, refined and elegant vegetable, killing it with a heavy sauce or a big bold wine while not criminal is almost blasphemy.
