Radicchio, Speckled - Certified Organic -BC

Certified Organic Speckled Radicchio — Song Hollow Farm

If you've never tried speckled radicchio, this is one of those beautiful vegetables that deserves a place in your kitchen.

With its cream-coloured leaves splashed with burgundy and pink, speckled radicchio is almost too pretty to chop. But it's much more than a beautiful salad green. It has a pleasantly bitter flavour that pairs wonderfully with sweet, salty and rich ingredients—and becomes milder when cooked.

These Certified Organic speckled radicchio are grown by Song Hollow Farm in Grindrod, BC.

Why You'll Love It

• Certified Organic

• Grown locally in Grindrod, BC

• Beautiful cream, pink and burgundy-speckled leaves

• Crisp, tender texture

• Pleasantly bitter flavour that balances rich dishes

• Delicious raw, grilled or roasted

Great For

Salads, grain bowls, risotto, pasta, grilled vegetables, roasted side dishes and sandwiches.

For a simple salad, tear the leaves and toss with sliced apples or pears, toasted walnuts, a little cheese and a honey-mustard vinaigrette. The sweetness of the fruit and dressing balances radicchio's natural bitterness beautifully.

You can also cut it into wedges, brush with olive oil and grill or roast until the edges begin to caramelize.

Storage

Store radicchio in the refrigerator's crisper drawer, ideally in a loose bag or container to prevent the leaves from drying out.

Keep it unwashed until you're ready to use it. Remove any damaged outer leaves as needed.

Build Your Basket

Pair with local apples or pears, walnuts and goat cheese for a fall salad, or add garlic, onions and Parmesan for a simple pasta or risotto.

Radicchio is also lovely alongside roasted squash, potatoes and other hearty fall vegetables.

Good to Know

Radicchio is actually a type of chicory, not lettuce!

Its characteristic bitterness comes from naturally occurring compounds found in chicory plants. While that flavour can be surprising if you're expecting lettuce, it's exactly what makes radicchio so interesting in the kitchen.

Speckled radicchio is often associated with the Italian Castelfranco type, prized for its delicate leaves and beautiful colouring.

And here's a useful trick: cooking mellows the bitterness, bringing out a softer, sweeter flavour. If you find raw radicchio a little too assertive, try roasting or grilling it.

How to Stretch This

You don't need a whole head of radicchio to make a salad. Mix a few leaves with regular lettuce or other greens to add colour, crunch and a little complexity.

If the remaining leaves are starting to wilt, sauté them with garlic and olive oil, stir them into risotto or add them to pasta.

The thicker inner ribs are edible too, so there's very little waste.

Meet the Grower

Song Hollow Farm • Grindrod, BC

Grown Certified Organic right here in Grindrod by Song Hollow Farm.

Certified Organic • Song Hollow Farm • Grindrod, BC • Speckled Radicchio