Pan-fried Radicchio

Radicchio is a wonderfully versatile vegetable. In Italy it’s popular cooked as well as in salads; the cooking softens the bitterness and brings out a touch of sweetness. I often shred it and toss it through pasta with some garlic and olive oil for a quick meal. This recipe is inspired by a classic dish in Lucio Galletto’s beautiful book The Art of Traditional Italian, he uses the long-leafed Treviso radicchio, but I’ve used the round Chioggia variety most often seen in Australia with equal success – try it with the Treviso if you find some. Use a good agrodolce-style (bitter-sweet) vinegar, such as the delicious merlot vinegar from ALTO Olives.

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

1 radicchio
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt flakes, to taste
1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
1½ tablespoons agrodolce red wine vinegar

Method

Discard any discoloured outer leaves from the radicchio then cut lengthways into 8 wedges.
Heat half the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over low heat, add garlic and a good pinch of salt and fry for a few minutes, until it just starts to colour.
Add radicchio, cut side down and sprinkle with rosemary, salt, vinegar and remaining oil.
Cook for 3 minutes or so, until starting to wilt, then turn and cook the other cut side for a further 3 minutes or so, until stem is just tender. If the radicchio is quite large, cover the pan for a few minutes in the final cooking to soften it all the way through.
Transfer to a platter and serve warm.