| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Inactive: | 1 hr |
| Cook: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 heads radicchio
- 12 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound mozzarella, cut into 16 pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the radicchio in quarters lengthwise, being sure to keep some of the stem attached to each quarter. Trim off any dark bits of stem. Submerge the radicchio quarters in ice water for 1 hour to remove some bitterness. Put a plate on top of the radicchio to keep them under water.
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the mozzarella. Mix well.
- Prepare a hot fire in your grill, or heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Drain the radicchio and place them on paper towels to absorb remaining water. Open up the leaves and spoon the olive oil mixture inside. Place the radicchio quarters on a baking sheet and pour the remaining marinade mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Grill the radicchio until browned on the outside but still raw in the center, 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Be careful, as the oil mixture may flame up.
- When the radicchio begins to brown, pull from the grill, open up a section of each portion and place a slice of mozzarella inside. Place quarters back onto the sheet pan and place the pan directly on the grill for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Drizzle any leftover dressing over the top of the grilled radicchio and serve warm.
- If making radicchio in advance: Before the party, have the radicchio drained and marinated in the vinaigrette in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 685 |
| Total Fat | 67 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 45 mg |
| Sodium | 448 mg |
Reviews
Really bad. Bitter beyond belief. Tried soaking as recommended no help. Pepper flakes were a bad call. It only enhanced the bitterness.
I reduced for a quarter of the portions, and used Aleppo pepper flakes vice red pepper flakes. I thought the marinade was suited perfectly for the radicchio, however; I would probably make this on a charcoal grill to reduce the added bitter/metallic flavor of the propane from the flare-ups. Still, a great side dish.
This might be the best vegetable side dish I have ever tasted, and I didn’t even put the cheese in. The smokiness, the sweetness, the bitterness, and the slight heat are a perfect marriage. I agree with the previous reviewer..raddicchio is supposed to be somewhat bitter, and I would advise eating this with a steak or something fatty. If you insist that it is too bitter, you could soak it in the water twice as long and that will tame it quite a bit.
I’m surprised by the comments that this recipe is bitter. Of course it’s bitter. Radicchio is a bitter green and bitter is the game. Play it off the other foods. I like this recipe alot but made one small change. I used sliced mozzerella and simply melted a little over the top of the radicchio. I use a healthy amount of red pepper because the bitter, heat and sour from the vinegar make a great contrast to fattier meats.
This dish is a must have whenever I grill veggies..I make sure I grill extra for the day after because it makes the most delicious sandwich served on a baguette with an addition of avacado. Five stars and two thumbs up Michael!
Wow, the combo of flavors is intense…the bitter, spicy, sweet and smoky is incredible….not to mention the texture of the melting cheese!! This one is over the top!
I had been dying to try this for so long! A few of my guests thought it was a little bitter still but I liked it. Maybe next time I’ll let them soak a little while longer. The marinade was absolutely delicious although I had a little trouble keeping the cheese in. Overall, really good!!!
I soaked the radicchio for a little longer than on the recipe and it was still extremely bitter.
Easy, tasty, healthy. If I expect to have any left over, I grill it just a bit less without the cheese. When I reheat it, I add the cheese. Absolutely wonderful, especially with simple grilled meat.
Really like this salad, it’s unique grilling the lettuce. People think it’s odd but once they try it they’ll want more!