Radicchio

Once a vegetable of the poor, radicchio has now risen to become a chic, noble food. It belongs to the chicory varieties that were already used in ancient times, from whose roots the much-maligned chicory coffee was made as a coffee substitute. The modern radicchio, which is a close relative of chicory, has been around for more than a century. During this time, the way cooking is done in the Western world, and thus the use of radicchio in the kitchen, has changed significantly.