Radicchio ..........

[SusieG]

........ Pulled up this radicchio today ~ do I eat it raw like a salad leaf, or does it need cooking - and how ....???

Thanks!

[craftymarie]

What variety of raddichio is that Susie? I've only ever seen the red one. Anyway, it's a bitter tasting salad leaf so you would normally use the leaves in cold salads mixed with other raw leaves and salad crops although you can grill the compacted middle section if you want.

[Bren In Pots]

I think you use it as salad leaves mines still in the seedling stage and like Marie mentioned mine the red kind 'Palla Rossa Precoce' that came the the Vine mag.

[Bill Door]

Hi SusieG, I think you are a little early picking your radicchio.

It will last until November/December and will stand cold weather. It should grow as big as a nice iceberg lettuce. If you have to thin it then use will salad leaves.

Bill

[rary]

Hello Susie, as Marie asked what variety have you got, the one Bren named is a red Italian type of chicory which doesnt need forcing, but there are other pale to green varieties that dont need forcing also, best pulled young, the outer darker leaves are generaly more bitter and when I use them in a salad I dont use a lot of them I dont use the darker outer leaf and dont leave the leaves in water, the ones that dont need forcing will keep for 3 or 4 week in the fridge, in a dark container or black poly bag

[SusieG]

Oh thank you! I really must go look and see what variety it is. It wasn't something I bought, it was a free pack of seeds Bren from the mag, mutter mutter .....shuffles off to riffle through seed tin ......

Aha, here we go, it's Palla Rossa Precoce .....picture on the packet looks like it's a big round red ball shape with white veins .....nothing like my picture, or indeed what I pulled from the ground. Guessing if they were left then they may possibly bulk up a bit then maybe change colour...?
I sowed them May time ...

[Bren In Pots]

Susie I think you're right about them bulking up I've found google pictures of them with red centres and green outer leaves.

[SusieG]

So what I'm thinking is, use the ones I've pulled up, and leave the other remaining few to 'bulk up' a bit .... See what happens.!!