Sauces, conserves & preserves
Pickled Radicchio
We always grow an autumn crop in the hope of convincing people to embrace radicchio for more than its distinctive colouring. It is a bitter leaf, and this can often divide opinion. A pickle is a great way to use that bitterness as a condiment – the vinegar and sugar temper the strident taste. Makes a ½ litre jar.
Cook's notes
You can add some spice to the pickling liquid if you want the flavour to have a specific character – black peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds would work well or juniper, caraway, or star anise if you want something more distinct. We’ve kept it simple, so it is universally useable.
Ingredients
- 300ml cider vinegar
- 45g sugar
- 5g sea salt
- 1 head of radicchio
Method
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Step 1
Place the vinegar, sugar and salt into a small pan and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved and then leave aside to cool a little.
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Step 2
Remove the root end of the radicchio to separate the leaves, discard any outer leaves that appear to be turning green or may look a bit shabby. Keep the small inner leaves whole, cut the large ones in half, lengthways. Wash and dry them well.
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Step 3
Pack the leaves, as tightly as you can, into a sterile ½ litre clip-top jar. Pour the warm vinegar in so that it completely covers the leaves. Close the lid and leave somewhere cool and dark for at least a week before using. It’ll store well for about a month, keep it in the fridge once opened and try and use within a week.