Chef Graziella
Arancini di Riso alla Siciliana
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Culinary Explorer
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Risotto al Radicchio di Treviso
Created by
The elegant bitter radicchio of Treviso, sliced thin and stirred into rice until its ruby color bleeds through every grain. Venetian winter cooking at its most refined, where bitterness becomes virtue.
Main Dishes
Italian, Venetian
Dinner Party
Special Occasion
20 min
Active Time
35 min cook•55 min total
Yield4 servings
The Veneto understands bitterness in a way Americans do not. Where others would mask it, Venetians celebrate it. Radicchio di Treviso, with its long spears of ruby and white, transforms this risotto into something that lingers in the memory. The color alone stops you: deep wine-red staining the rice, fading to rose at the edges.
This is not the round radicchio you find in supermarket salad mixes. Treviso radicchio is elongated, elegant, with crisp white ribs and leaves the color of old Burgundy. It has been cultivated in the fields around Treviso since the sixteenth century, and the forcing technique that creates its pale heart developed over generations of patient experimentation. Do not substitute. If you cannot find the proper radicchio, make a different risotto.
The bitterness mellows with heat but never disappears. It provides counterpoint to the butter and cheese, cutting through richness the way good wine cuts through fat. What you keep out matters here: no cream, no excessive garlic, no stock cubes. The rice, the radicchio, and the technique. That is all you need.
Radicchio di Treviso received its Protected Geographical Indication in 1996, but its cultivation predates Columbus. The distinctive forcing technique, called imbiancatura, emerged in the 1860s when Treviso farmers discovered that covering the plants and immersing them in spring water produced sweeter, more tender leaves with those characteristic pale ribs. Winter markets in Treviso still overflow with bundles of these ruby spears, and every household has a preferred method for this risotto.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
radicchio di Treviso
Quantity
1 pound (about 2 large heads)
homemade broth
Quantity
6 cups
kept at a simmer
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons
divided
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
shallot
Quantity
1 medium
minced fine
Vialone Nano or Carnaroli rice
Quantity
1 1/2 cups
dry white wine
Quantity
3/4 cup
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1/2 cup
freshly grated, plus more for serving
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| radicchio di Treviso | 1 pound (about 2 large heads) |
| homemade brothkept at a simmer | 6 cups |
| unsalted butterdivided | 4 tablespoons |
| extra virgin olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| shallotminced fine | 1 medium |
| Vialone Nano or Carnaroli rice | 1 1/2 cups |
| dry white wine | 3/4 cup |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated, plus more for serving | 1/2 cup |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot or deep sauté pan
- •Wooden spoon
- •2-quart saucepan for broth
- •Ladle
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the radicchio
Remove any damaged outer leaves from the radicchio. Cut each head in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ribbons about half an inch wide. The white ribs will take longer to cook than the leaves, so keep your slices consistent. Set aside roughly one third of the radicchio to add later in cooking. This portion will retain more color and a pleasant bite.
- 2
Heat the broth
Bring the broth to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and keep it warm over low heat. Cold broth shocks the rice and interrupts the cooking. This is not optional. The broth must be hot when it meets the rice.
Homemade broth makes a risotto. Stock cubes destroy it. If you must use store-bought, choose the lowest sodium variety and taste as you go. - 3
Build the soffritto
In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. When the butter foam subsides, add the minced shallot. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. It must not brown.
- 4
Cook the first addition of radicchio
Add two thirds of the sliced radicchio to the pot. It will seem like a great quantity. Stir to coat with the fat and cook until the leaves wilt completely and the white ribs begin to soften, about 5 minutes. The radicchio will release liquid, then reabsorb it. The color will deepen. This first batch of radicchio will meld completely into the risotto, giving it depth.
- 5
Toast the rice
Add the rice all at once and stir it thoroughly for 2 minutes. You must coat every grain with the fat. Listen for a faint crackling sound. The grains should become translucent at the edges while remaining opaque at the center. This toasting step creates the foundation for proper risotto texture.
Vialone Nano is the traditional Veneto rice, smaller and rounder than Arborio, with excellent absorption. Carnaroli is also correct. Arborio will work but produces a slightly stickier result. - 6
Add the wine
Pour in the wine all at once. It will sizzle and steam. Stir constantly until the wine is completely absorbed and you can no longer smell raw alcohol. The pot should be nearly dry before you proceed. This takes about 2 minutes.
- 7
Add the broth gradually
Begin adding the hot broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. The rice should never swim in liquid, nor should it stick to the pan. Adjust your heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. This process takes approximately 16 to 18 minutes. Taste the rice after 15 minutes.
Stirring is not constant stirring. Stir frequently, yes, but you may rest your arm. The rice needs attention, not obsession. - 8
Add the remaining radicchio
When the rice is nearly tender but still has a firm core, add the reserved radicchio. Stir to combine and continue adding broth. The radicchio added now will retain its color and a slight crunch. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is al dente: tender but with pleasant resistance at the center of each grain.
- 9
Finish with mantecatura
Remove the pot from heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir vigorously for one minute. This is the mantecatura, the final enriching that gives risotto its characteristic creaminess. No cream is needed. The butter and cheese do this work. Season with salt and pepper, remembering that the cheese is salty. The risotto should flow in waves when you shake the pan. Italians call this all'onda.
If the risotto seems too thick, add a small splash of hot broth. It will continue to absorb liquid as it rests on the plate. - 10
Serve immediately
Spoon the risotto onto warm plates, spreading it gently so it flows outward. Do not mound it. Once the pasta is sauced, serve it promptly, inviting your guests and family to put off talking and start eating. Risotto waits for no one. Pass additional Parmigiano at the table for those who want it.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out radicchio di Treviso tardivo if you can find it. This late-season variety has longer, more slender leaves and superior flavor. The precoce (early) variety is acceptable but less refined.
- •The bitterness of radicchio varies by head. Taste a small piece raw before cooking. If it is extremely bitter, soak the sliced ribbons in cold water for 20 minutes and pat dry. This mellows the flavor without eliminating it.
- •Never add cream to this risotto. Americans have the peculiar notion that risotto requires cream. It does not. The mantecatura of butter and cheese creates all the creaminess you need.
- •Your wine for the risotto should be a wine you would drink. Pinot Grigio from the Veneto is traditional and correct. Cheap cooking wine has no place in any kitchen.
Advance Preparation
- •Risotto cannot be made ahead. It must be served the moment it is finished. The texture degrades within minutes.
- •The broth can be made days ahead and refrigerated. Warm it before beginning the risotto.
- •The radicchio can be sliced up to 4 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 320g)
Calories
555 calories
Total Fat
22 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
11 g
Cholesterol
42 mg
Sodium
965 mg
Total Carbohydrates
70 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
12 g
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