Radicchio is part of the chicory family, which are generally bitter greens. Other chicory include curly endive and escarole. Many of you are probably familiar with the round version of radicchio at your grocery store. This beautiful version is a treviso type called Fiero.

Most of the time, we enjoy chicory as part of a salad. Sometimes we will stir it into soup, like this. But, for our dinner tonight we made a radicchio sauce and tossed it with some of our favorite pasta. It was delicious.

Radicchio Pasta Sauce
* serves 2

Ingredients:

• Your favorite pasta cooked al dente while you prepare the sauce
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/2 poblano, seeded and sliced
• 1 Hungarian hot wax pepper, seeded and sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 head radicchio, core removed, leaves finely chopped
• 1 small glass of red wine
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. Fry bacon in a large saute pan over medium high heat for a couple minutes.
2. Once bacon is lightly browned, toss in sliced peppers.
3. After about a minute, add garlic.
4. After another minute, add the radicchio. The pan will seem way too full for a few minutes. Stir the radicchio into the pan, allowing it to wilt as it cooks. Make sure it does not burn.
5. When radicchio has wilted, pour in red wine and let it simmer.
6. Wait until almost all absorbed, a few minutes, and then pour in the whipping cream. Allow the cream to simmer and become thick.
7. Season with salt & pepper. Add cayenne.
8. Stir in the butter.
9. Add the cooked pasta and stir to heat through.