Gluten-free · Raw · Nut-free · Soy-free

When I saw these baby radicchio heads at the grocery store the other day, I HAD to pick them up.

When it’s fully grown, radicchio is quite bitter and can be hard to eat so it’s no wonder radicchio salad is not everyone’s cup of tea. After all, we as humans have evolved to associate bitter taste as potentially poisonous or dangerous!

Baby radicchio, however, is a lot kinder on the palate and has the perfect balance: not too bitter, not too sweet. And its texture is firm, which helps us make fun stuff with it by using its natural shape. Oh, and did I mention it looks like a beautiful flower?

Although you might not be so lucky as to find baby radicchio in your local supermarket, you can still use regular radicchio and add some extra sweetener to compensate for the bitterness.

This salad is raw, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and absolutely beautiful. The golden beets also give it a beautiful hint of sweetness and earthiness. It’s simple but super elegant.

Substitutions

• Instead of baby radicchio, you can use regular radicchio, lola rosa, Treviso, or endives.

GREAT FOR

Serve this salad in the middle of the table to share, or serve as an appetizer.

    

Raw Baby Radicchio Salad

Serves 4-6 (as a starter)

8 heads baby radicchio 

250g golden beets, cut into juliennes and then halved 

Maple dijon dressing

15g shallot, brunoise (small dice)

7g dijon mustard 

5g whole grain mustard

20ml maple syrup 

30ml lemon juice 

20 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 pinch of cayenne pepper 

Toppings

15g of mixed herbs (parsley, dill, and basil work well)

1. Cut off the bottom of the radicchio heads and separate the leaves. Place them in a large bowl of water and swirl to loosen any dirt. Strain and spin to dry. Set aside.

2. To make the maple dijon dressing, place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl medium bowl and whisk to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Place the beets in the same large bowl used to clean the radicchio and add a few spoonfuls of the dressing. Mix to combine, adding more dressing if necessary. The beets should be fully coated.

4. On a large serving plate or individual appetizer plates or bowls, place the dried radicchio leaves facing up so that they form little cup shapes. Add some of the golden beets into the radicchio “cups” so that there’s a nice mixture of purples, pinks, yellows, and greens going on. Finish with a few more drizzles of the maple dijon dressing and top with some fresh mixed herbs.