Radicchio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Radicchio
Species	Cichorium intybus var. foliosum
Cultivar group	Radicchio Group

Radicchio (/rəˈdɪkioʊ/ or /rəˈdiːkioʊ/; Italian pronunciation: [raˈdikkjo]) is a type of leafy vegetable. It is a cultivated form of chicory (Cichorium intybus). People sometimes call it Italian chicory because it is very popular in Italian cuisine.

Radicchio is grown for its leaves, which usually have bright red colors and white veins. These leaves grow together to form a head, much like a small cabbage. Radicchio has a slightly bitter and spicy taste. This flavor becomes milder if you grill or roast it.

The Story of Radicchio

Long ago, a Roman writer named Pliny the Elder wrote about radicchio. In his book Naturalis Historia, he said it could help clean blood. He also thought it might help people who had trouble sleeping. Radicchio contains natural substances like intybin and a type of flavonoid called anthocyanin. Intybin is known to have calming effects.

Modern ways of growing radicchio started in Italy in the 1400s. This happened in regions like Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. However, the deep-red radicchio we see today was developed later. In 1860, a Belgian agronomist named Francesco Van den Borre created it.

How Modern Radicchio Was Made

Francesco Van den Borre used a special method called imbianchimento. This means "whitening" or blanching. In this process, plants are taken from the soil. They are then placed in water inside dark sheds. Because there is no light, the plants cannot make chlorophyll. This is the green pigment that makes plants green. Without it, the leaves lose their green color and turn dark red with white veins.

Different Kinds of Radicchio

There are many types of radicchio. They are often named after the Italian regions where they first grew.

Chioggia Radicchio

The most common type in the United States is radicchio di Chioggia. It is very popular and widely used. This variety forms a round head. It has a beautiful, deep red color over most of its surface. Farmers in the early 1900s developed it to have this specific look. The special area where Chioggia radicchio is grown includes ten towns in Italy.

Treviso Radicchio

Radicchio rosso di Treviso precoce has a longer head. Its white veins are much more noticeable than in the Chioggia type. It has a distinct bitter taste. To get its color and flavor, the heads are blanched. This means they are tied up and kept away from light for two to three weeks after being harvested. The special growing area for this type includes 24 towns.

Tardivo Radicchio

Another important type is 'Tardivo'. Treviso tardivo is considered the "king" of radicchio in Italy. Growing it takes many weeks of careful hand labor. It uses a very old method of forced growing and blanching. This creates the white ribs with red tips. After harvest, the heads are left in tanks of running water for two weeks. Then they are cut, washed, and packaged. There are strict rules about how long the root can be. Tardivo radicchio is crunchy and bitter, and people usually eat it cooked.

Castelfranco Radicchio

The radicchio di Castelfranco looks very different. It has creamy, light green leaves with deep red speckles. It looks a bit like a flower. This type has a sweeter flavor than other radicchios. It is thought to have come from crossing original radicchio plants with escarole around the 800s. This type is only available in the winter months.

Other varieties include 'Gorizia' (also called "Rosa di Gorizia") and 'Trieste'. Farmers in the Veneto region want special protection for the names of some radicchio varieties, like 'Tardivo'. This is similar to how certain wines or cheeses get special names.

How to Use Radicchio in Cooking

In Italian cooking, radicchio is often grilled with olive oil. It is also mixed into dishes like risotto, which is a creamy rice dish.

You can also serve radicchio with pasta. It can be used in a strudel, which is a pastry. Sometimes, it is used as a stuffing for poultry or as an ingredient in a tapenade, which is a savory spread.

Just like other chicories, the roots of radicchio can be roasted and ground. This can then be used as a coffee substitute or added to coffee.

Growing Radicchio

Radicchio is fairly easy to grow. It grows best in spring and autumn gardens. It prefers to be watered often, but not too deeply. The amount of water needed can change based on the type of soil. If it doesn't get enough water, the leaves might taste more bitter.

For autumn crops, cold weather helps change the flavor. The colder it gets, the milder the taste becomes. Cold weather also helps the plant form its head and turn red. Newer types of radicchio can form heads on their own. However, their taste might not be as good as traditional varieties that have gone through several frosts.

Radicchio usually takes about three months to grow fully. In places like the UK or Western Europe, it can survive through winter. If you cut the head carefully above the ground, the plant can grow a new head. You just need to protect it from very cold frost. Sometimes, a cover is used to block light during the later growing stages. This helps make the color contrast more noticeable. It also protects the plant from frost and cold winds.

See also

In Spanish: Radicchio para niños