While at the farmers market last week, a gorgeous exotic burgundy-and-white flower caught my eye in one of the produce stalls. It had spiky “petals” that looked tropical and vaguely marine. The sign said “Treviso/Winter’s Flower,” and I was intrigued.
I asked the farmer about it, and he informed me that treviso is a member of the radicchio family and has a sharp, slightly bitter taste. It can be served cooked or raw, and a little goes a long way. That’s good news since the rarified leaves were a whopping $18.99 a pound — but I had to try them so I bought two small heads.
The farmer advised me that he really liked to use treviso on dishes at the tail end of the cooking process sort of as a garnish — sprinkling it, chopped, on pizza or pasta, or even roasted meat or fish. I used it to top my version of Marc Vetri’s venison pear ragu and it added a pleasant crunch of bitter, which offered a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the pears.
If you are not inclined to make venison ragu, the treviso would complement this super-simple ravioli or this luxurious brown butter gnocchi.
Since I bought two small heads of treviso, I used the second one in a salad. Because it delivers a piquant, pleasantly sharp flavor avoid adding it to lettuces that have a bitter overtone, like arugula or escarole. Instead, pair it with milder leaf, such as butter lettuce or romaine.
Treviso Salad
Serves two
- 1 head butter lettuce, rinsed, drained, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- ½ apple, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
- 1 head treviso, chopped
- 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- Sprinkle of garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
Place the lettuce, apple, pecans, treviso and goat cheese in a salad bowl.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil and vinegar.
Toss well and serve immediately.
