Vegetables- Week 5:

Fruit share: Strawberries & Blueberries

<> Omega Eggs

<> Cheese: Colby from Mapledale Farm & Hudson Red from Twin Maple Farms

<> No lamb this week

Going by the name Radicchio di Treviso or Treviso radicchio, it is a member of the chicory family. Treviso radicchio is from the region of Veneto, Italy and is prized as the best and most flavorful kind of radicchio. It can be eaten raw but it best cooked in some manner. It can be substituted for escarole or endive. Treviso can be grilled easily, season liberally with salt and pepper, plenty of olive oil and grill quickly. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t char. This red treviso can also be used in risottos or other cooked fillings such as lasagna or pastas. Braise it or go for a bitter salad keeping it raw!

Risotto with Treviso Radicchio
feeds 6

2 small, firm Treviso radicchio
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
300g risotto rice
250ml nice, full-bodied red wine
1l vegetable or chicken stock
1.5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons parmesan, grated
salt and pepper

Cut away the bottom ends of the radicchio. Discard them. Wash the radicchio and drain well. Cut lengthwise into quarters and then chop up into small pieces.

Put the stock into a pot or saucepan and keep warm. In another saucepan or pot–essentially your favourite thing for cooking risotto–heat up the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, stirring them frequently. When golden, toss in the radicchio. Lower the heat a touch. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring every so often, for 10 minutes or until the radicchio has all gone soft. Add the red wine and let this cook for a minute. You want all the alchohol fumes to subside. Then add the rice. Let this bubble and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. You want to liquid to reduce a little.

Add 2 ladles of the stock into the rice. Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir and cook until the liquid has been mostly absorbed by the rice. Then add another 2 ladles. Keep repeating this process until almost all the liquid has been used up. When you have just a few ladles left, you should taste the rice. The perfect consistency is a little firm on the surface but creamy inside. If it is already close to this, then you know you can add less stock. If too hard, you will need to add more. You can also then add a bit more salt to taste. But not too much because you’ll be adding cheese at the end.

When you feel the rice is the right texture and you have just a bit of liquid in the pot, turn off the heat, stir in the butter and the parmesan. Taste again and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve. from ChubbyHubby

Here’s a recipe for a salad from epicurious:

Salad with Walnuts and Gruyere

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Coarse kosher salt
• 1 pound Treviso (about two 8-ounce heads)
• 4 cups (packed) mixed baby greens or other baby lettuces (about 3 ounces)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup walnut halves, toasted