What am I doing?

I have no idea.  The lady at the Riverdog Farms stand at the Berkeley farmers' market said that this was a variety of radicchio, so even though it looks like plain old lettuce, it's really a much hardier and MUCH more bitter green.  It definitely deserved to be cooked.  It deserved to be cooked and eaten and it deserved to taste good.  So I treated it bad, so so bad.  Olive oil in a hot pan, funny radicchio variety in the olive oil, salt and pepper on top, swirl it around a bit, and then add some good chicken stock and braise for about 15 minutes with the lid tightly on.  Conclusion: Good but VERY bitter, could probably have used a chopping before braising.  Trying to braise these bad boys whole was really out there.  Crazy. I'm wild like that.

Riverdog Farms
At the Berkeley Farmers' Markets on Saturdays at Center & MLK and on Tuesdays at Derby & MLK

Comments

[rankin' rob]

That is the stone cold sexiest picture of radicchio I've ever seen on the net. Just found this site through Typepad's front page. I may come back and unload the Southern-Sweet Tea-Banana Pudding p.o.v. on your exotic vegi NoCo self. Now excuse me while I visit the obscene dessert item below.

[Dr. Biggles]

Bitter eh? Probably needed some applewood smoked bacon rendered first! That's what all braised greens need. Lump of butter too, it'll mute the bitterness of the greens. YEAH !!!

[molly]

Yes! Sexy radicchio, a man after my own heart.

Bitter, yeah, but I am trying to keep at least my veggies mostly yummy fat free (at least dairy free) and although butter makes the world alright again, I am working on finding healthier alternatives. I love a good challenge!