We use chicories in a variety of ways in the PRINT. kitchen, sautéing them into pasta dishes, grilling them to accompany our pork chop, and of course, raw in salads. Classic radicchio is our standby, but we swoon for all the other heirloom varieties which delight the eye with spirals of gorgeous rosette shapes and colors of light green and speckled with hints of crimson, see Castelfranco below.
We have been sourcing Castelfranco and other gorgeous varieties at the Campo Rosso stand at Union Square Greenmarket on Fridays. Their farm is located in Berks Country, PA and after spending time in Italy they dedicated much of their fields to various heirloom chicories. To learn more about the farmers check out this Epicurious article. In recent weeks, they had a gorgeous new variety at the stand, Treviso Rosso Tardivo, that has the appearance of a tropical flower. But it doesn’t only look great, it tastes incredible. The dark purple and crimson colors actually intensify in the cooler weather and the added sugars that the plants put out to protect themselves create a sweeter, less bitter-tasting chicory. Thus right now at the tail end of the season, with near-frosty nights is the perfect time to enjoy these gems.
