Roasted Radicchio with Beans
Source: Kate Leahy, Wine Style
Recipe Type: Entrees | Seasons: Autumn, Winter
This is a pretty side dish that doubles as a light meal if an at-home happy hour stretches into dinner. Beans are magic with nearly any style of wine, but this dish gets a red-wine edge with radicchio. Roasting radicchio in a hot oven tames its bitterness, making it friendlier to eat alongside a range of wines, especially those that taste bright and juicy, like Barbera. Or go a bit earthier and add toasted hazelnuts on top to serve with Pinot Noir from Oregon. Because of the creamy beans and complexity of the roasted radicchio, richer-style white wines with acidity, like Verdicchio from Italy, are also good matches.
Serves 4 | Pinot Noir and Barbera
INGREDIENTS
1 small head radicchio (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1⁄4 cup
Fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
Two 15-ounce cans cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1⁄2 cup toasted and crushed hazelnuts
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish (optional)Sourdough or other crusty bread for serving
PREPARATION
Treviso radicchio looks like a purple oversize endive, with thinner leaves that are a little more tender than rounder varieties of radicchio. If you find it, use it in this recipe—the tender leaves roast really well. If radicchio isn’t available, serve the beans with a few handfuls of peppery arugula on top and opt for a rich white wine instead.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
Halve the radicchio through its core and cut into six wedges. Put the wedges on the prepared pan and drizzle with the 1 tablespoon oil, then use your hands to mix the oil into the leaves to ensure they are lightly coated. Arrange with a cut side down on the pan and season with a couple of pinches of salt. Roast until the edges crisp up, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining ¼ cup oil. Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook until richly aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the beans and water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Season with pepper and ½ teaspoon salt, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the water mostly evaporates, about 8 minutes, adding more water if the pan looks dry. Mash the beans slightly with a potato masher or a wooden spoon and season with a squeeze or two of lemon. Taste and add more salt if needed. Cover and keep warm.
Spoon the beans into a warmed serving bowl and put the radicchio on top. Garnish with the crushed hazelnuts and grated cheese, if desired. Slice crusty bread to serve alongside.
Reprinted with permission from Wine Style: Discover the Wines You Will Love Through 50 Simple Recipes by Kate Leahy, copyright © 2021. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photographs copyright © 2021 by Erin Scott.
