Wow, I was almost late with this post. I made this months ago, but couldn’t find any photos, and just realized that last night. So today, I drove around Anchorage trying to find ridicchio. It seems very few of the grocery stores carry it anymore.
The first time I made this recipe, I didn’t care for it. It’s not the recipe I didn’t like, I just don’t care for radicchio. It’s too bitter for me. Marcella says that if your radicchio is bitter, you can substitute Belgian endive for part of the radicchio. Well, guess what I couldn’t find in any stores in Anchorage-Belgian endive.
So I made the recipe again using all radicchio, the more common round variety. You trim the radicchio, clean it, cut it in wedges, and set it aside. You then cut bacon into narrow strips and saute that in a very small amount of olive oil until the fat is melted but the bacon is not crisp. Then add the raddichio to the pan with the bacon, cover, and cook about 30 minutes until tender, turning occasionally.
The result was better than the first time I made it. Who can resist a vegetable cooked with smoky, salty bacon. But unfortunately for me, that still doesn’t make up for the bitter taste of radicchio. I did find that I could eat the very center, where it was less bitter. One of these days I’d like to find a radicchio that isn’t too bitter. I even tried growing it my garden one year, and that unfortunately, wasn’t even edible. Even though radicchio isn’t my vegetable of choice, if it’s something you like, you’ll be sure to enjoy this recipe. It’s simple, flavorful, and a much tastier than a simple steamed vegetable.