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Choice and storage
In its pure habitat, radicchio is a cool-season vegetable. Though grown in some components of the USA, a majority of it’s nonetheless imported from the Mediterranean, particularly from Italy. A few of its varieties are grown domestically and marketed year-round in California state.
For those who develop one within the house backyard, guarantee its edible head is blanched adequately earlier than harvesting (as in endives). In some components, compelled second-growth (heads) are harvested whereas discarding its inexperienced, bitter, first heads. To reap, minimize its compact spherical head off the foundation and trim away all its outer copper-green leaves, simply as in cabbages.
Within the markets choose recent, compact, brilliant wine-red heads with distinguished midribs. Intently search for cracks, spots, or mechanical bruising on the leaves. Treviso and Chioggia ought to have tight, compact leaves, whereas Verona kind options open, free leaves.
At house, retailer in a fridge set at a temperature beneath 8 °C with a relative humidity of round 90% for as much as 2-3 weeks.
Preparation and serving strategies
Radicchio is used primarily as a leafy salad vegetable. Uncooked leaves have been sharp, pungent in taste. Publicity to extra brilliant daylight makes its leaves bitter, which is considerably mellowed as soon as cooked.
To arrange, trim its outer leaves as you do it in cabbage. Wash the pinnacle in cool operating water. Lower it into quarters, wedges, and use in cooking.
Listed here are some serving ideas:
- Radicchio is a favourite winter-season salad vegetable in Southern Europe. Uncooked leaves are eaten in Italy in salads. Within the USA, nonetheless, flippantly stewed leaves are most well-liked.
- Its chunks are grilled gently with added olive oil, artichoke hearts, and beans in a scrumptious radicchio salad.
- Radicchio risotto and pasta are widespread winter recipes within the Northern Italian area.
Security profile
Though it belongs to the chicory household greens, radicchio has no caffeine content material in its leaves, and due to this fact, will be protected for consumption. (Medical disclaimer).
≺≺Again to Greens from Radicchio. Go to right here for a formidable record of greens with full illustrations of their diet details and well being advantages.
≺≺Again to House web page.
Additional studying:
- Stanford Faculty of Medication Most cancers data Web page- Vitamin to Cut back Most cancers Danger (Hyperlink opens in new window).
- USDA Nationwide Nutrient database.
- Cichoryum intybus- Pink Chicory (Cichorium intybus L. cultivar) as a Potential Supply of Antioxidant Anthocyanins for Intestinal Well being.
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