Risotto al radicchio rosso di Treviso
Treviso radicchio risotto with Vialone Nano rice
Treviso's Tardivo chicory is harvested after cold weather, then brought back to life in running spring water; its long wine-red leaves and crisp white ribs carry a measured bitterness that softens into the rice without disappearing.
Onion, dry white wine, vegetable broth, butter and Parmigiano soften the radicchio's bitterness. Vialone Nano gives the dish a particularly local grain, while the final stir with butter and cheese turns its cooking liquid into a pink, flowing sauce.
Ingredients
- 320 gVialone Nano rice (see note)
- 300 gRadicchio Rosso di Treviso IGP Tardivo, trimmed and cut into thin ribbons (see note)
- 35 gunsalted butter, divided, with 25 g kept cold for finishing
- 25 gyellow onion, very finely chopped
- 80 ml(about ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon)dry white wine
- 1.1 liters(about 4⅔ cups)lightly salted vegetable broth, kept hot, plus more if needed
- 45 gParmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- fine salt, if needed
Kitchen notes
- Radicchio Rosso di Treviso IGP Tardivo
- Look for the long, narrow, wine-red heads with white ribs, sold as Treviso Tardivo or Radicchio Rosso di Treviso IGP. Tardivo is forced and blanched in spring water after harvest, which gives it its crisp texture and controlled bitterness. Seek it during winter at a specialty produce supplier. It is distinct from the larger, earlier Treviso Precoce and from round red chicory, which have different textures and growing processes.
- Vialone Nano rice
- Buy Italian Vialone Nano intended for risotto. Its small, absorbent grain is especially suited to this broth-cooked style.
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Use finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, added only off the heat with cold butter.
- Vegetable broth
- Keep the broth lightly salted and hot. A dark meat broth muddies the radicchio's color and flavor; the measured quantity is a working supply and the rice may need slightly more or less.
Method
Set up the pan
- Bring the vegetable broth to a gentle simmer and keep it hot. Separate a handful of the tenderest radicchio ribbons and set them aside. Melt 10 g butter in a wide heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook until completely soft and pale, about 5–7 minutes; it should not brown.
Toast the rice and begin the risotto
- Add the dry Vialone Nano and stir for 1 minute, until the grains are hot and faintly translucent at their edges. Add the wine and let it evaporate completely. Add the remaining radicchio ribbons and two ladles of hot broth. Stir regularly over a lively simmer, adding more hot broth a ladle at a time as the rice absorbs it. The rice should stay moist but never float in broth.
Finish all'onda
- After about 10 minutes, add the reserved tender radicchio. Continue cooking and tasting until the grain is al dente with a small firm center, usually 14–17 minutes from the first broth. Take the pan off the heat while the risotto is still a little looser than you want to eat it. Add the 25 g cold butter and Parmigiano, then stir and shake the pan vigorously until the rice is glossy and creamy around distinct grains. Rest, covered, for less than 1 minute.
Serve immediately
- Taste for salt and stir in a splash of hot broth if the risotto has tightened. It should spread in a slow wave when the pan is tipped, not sit in a stiff mound. Spoon into warm shallow bowls and serve immediately.