MONTEREY, CA – Royal Rose Radicchio of Salinas , Calif. is celebrating National Honey Month this September with radicchio and honey pairing suggestions.
Michelangelo and oil paint. Beethoven and the piano. Salad makers and radicchio. Radicchio and honey. Every artist has a signature tool for creating masterpieces. This sassy Italian redhead's arrival on the American salad scene is a sign that we're ready for bigger, bolder flavors. The assertive flavor of radicchio, once only the darling of cutting-edge chefs, has penetrated the US salad market.
Now, American ingenuity in the kitchen is taking radicchio beyond the traditional tossed salad. This is tasteful news, as radicchio's bold flavor is an ideal foil for myriad other ingredients and flavors. "Radicchio's slightly spicy bite–its bright, bitter note—makes it pair deliciously with many other flavor components," said Robin Kline, food writer, dietitian and culinary consultant. "In fact, there are five categories of foods that make radicchio perform brilliantly—mellowing its bitter character to 'just right'. These pairings or flavor-layering techniques create delicious synergy in a dish."
Did you know that the sweetness of honey is one of the key flavor partners for Radicchio? "Sweet and bitter is a match made in culinary heaven," said Kline. "Anyone who appreciates a piece of chocolate understands this. One flavor enhances the other, bringing out the best in both."
When pairing radicchio with sweet flavors, there's a culinary world to choose from: examples include honey, table sugar, molasses, cane syrup and maple syrup, fresh or dried fruit such as pears, apples, grapes, dried cranberries, apricots, raisins, jam, jelly or preserves, and candied nuts.
Did you know National Honey Month honors the US ’s 210,000 beekeepers and 2.41 million colonies of honeybees, which produce more than 200 million pounds of honey each year? Here are a few favorite recipes that use Royal Rose Radicchio to celebrate National Honey Month!
Prawns wrapped in Hickory Smoked Bacon with Royal Rose Radicchio, Baby Lettuces & Lentils in a Honey Orange Salsa drizzled with Balsamic Glaze Recipe by Executive Chef Michael Kimmel, Tarpy’s Roadhouse in Monterey , California Recipe Serves 4
12 prawns (13/15)
12 pieces pre-cooked Hickory Smoked Bacon
2 heads of Royal Rose Radicchio, cut into thick Julienne
2 cups baby lettuce spring mix
1 cup lentils simmered until tender with garlic, shallots, thyme, salt & black pepper
2 cups Honey Orange Salsa –see recipe below
2 Tablespoon Balsamic glaze – (can purchase prepared) Methods/steps Wrap prawns with bacon, use a toothpick to secure the bacon. Prepare the Honey Orange Salsa.
Roast prawns in a 350 degree oven till cooked through, set aside. Toss the radicchio, spring mix and cooked Lentils in a mixing bowl with 1 cup of salsa. Position the salad in the center of the plates, arrange roasted prawns around the exterior then drizzled the entire plate with the Balsamic Glaze.
Honey Orange Salsa
4 oranges, sectioned
1/4 mediun red onion, fine dice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon Triple Sec
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded, minced
1 Tablespoon red bell pepper, small dice
1 teaspoon basil leaves, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon shallots, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 scallion, sliced very thin
Method
Combine all ingredients, check seasoning level, adjust to suit your liking. Label, date and refrigerate until ready for use.
Ginger-Orange Sautéed Radicchio Warm Salad (pictured) Gently sautéed radicchio fused with a warm asian ginger-orange dressing makes this warm salad a savory starter. Garnish with oranges or grapes to add extra sweetness.
Recipe Serves 4
1 head radicchio, leaves separated
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 orange, segmented, pith removed
Methods/steps
In large skillet over medium heat, sauté radicchio leaves in olive oil until radicchio is slightly limp, about 1 1/2 -2 minutes. Remove radicchio to large shallow bowl. Heat sesame oil over low heat in small saucepan; stir in ginger and garlic; whisk in orange juice, soy sauce, honey and dry mustard. Remove from heat; pour over sautéed radicchio and toss thoroughly. Serve immediately on salad plates garnished with toasted sesame seeds and oranges.
Additional Tips
Seedless grapes can be substituted for orange slices.
For more information:
Royal Rose, LLC
1120 Growers Street
Salinas, CA 93901
831-758-1957 telephone
831-758-6649 facsimile
www.radicchio.com
Background on Royal Rose The Company:
The “Salad Bowl of the World” gained some much-needed color, flavor and crunch in 1993 with the formation of Royal Rose Radicchio of Salinas , Calif. It proved to be the perfect combination “ Old World vegetable meets New World agriculture power” and the results have been delicious.
Royal Rose took to growing and shipping four varieties of radicchio, a member of the chicory family that is revered in Italy and throughout Europe as a fresh, zesty addition to salads, pastas, pizzas and more. The vibrant color, pleasing bitterness and unmistakable crunch come together to form a unique addition to any meal.
It all started when Italian farmers Lucio Gomiero and Carlo Boscolo teamed up with growers from the Salinas Valley in the late 1980s. Gomiero, a winemaker by trade, had the idea of bringing Boscolo’s proprietary seed varieties and 50 years of radicchio growing in Italy to the United States . Gomiero believed there was a new market for this unique and versatile vegetable.
With the packaged salad revolution about to explode, the timing couldn’t have been better. Royal Rose turned a seasonal vegetable into a year-round treat, following the sun through four growing regions to supply the growing market with field-fresh radicchio.
Led by company president Dennis Donohue (who also happens to be current mayor of Salinas ), Royal Rose’s Fresher-Bigger-Better program reflects an ongoing commitment to educating consumers about the vegetable’s versatility and freshness.
Radicchio has begun to enjoy mainstream acceptance by consumers. McDonald’s now includes radicchio in its premium salads in many markets, and chefs all over the country have come to look beyond the salad, holding the versatile vegetable in high esteem and using it raw, grilled or sautéed and in a variety of specialized dishes.
Source: Royal Rose, LLC