Raddicchio’s bitter flavor balanced by creamy eggs in frittata

Our taste buds — numbering near 10,0000 — act as guard dogs for our mouths. They let us know the instant something hits our tongues whether or not it is friend or foe.

For some, a bitter flavor puts those dogs on high alert. Others seek out the zing on their taste buds.

Coffee, chicory, black walnuts and arugula all are known for their sharp bite. Radicchio — this month's Gazette KCRG Cook Club featured ingredient, is among those bitter brethren.

Radicchio comes in a few varieties. The one we most often see in grocery stores is Chioggia (named after a town in Italy). A purply-red, grapefruit-size ball, it resembles a baby red cabbage. Surprisingly, it is not in the cabbage family. It is in the leaf chicory family alongside Belgian endive.

While radicchio may not be on your weekly grocery list, you probably eat it more than you realize. If you purchase any lettuce blends or order salads at a restaurant, you may notice radicchio's red leaves among sea of green. Mixed with milder greens and veggies and covered in a creamy salad dressing radicchio's bite brings extra flavor without causing taste buds to react negatively.

Radicchio, though, is much more than a salad filler. We created our May Cook Club appetizer recipe, Radicchio & Bacon Frittata Bites, to put this wallflower at center stage. Especially when eaten raw, this delicate vegetable carries a very robust flavor in its small leaves.

When radicchio is cooked (as we did in this recipe) its bitterness mellows out just a touch and easily becomes a flavor enhancer to any dish. Radicchio is in peak season now and is a terrific vegetable to add in to your spring and summer recipes.

When first experimenting with a radicchio appetizer recipe we struggled to balance out radicchio's bitter qualities especially for those who may not be as apt to enjoy it.

A friend suggested a frittata — often known as the dish you make when you want to clean out your fridge — because the creaminess of the eggs tempers the radicchio allowing a normally bitter ingredient to show its softer side.

With radicchio in the mix, the frittata will pop with flavor in every bite. Pieces of bacon bring a salty, smoky element but you certainly could leave it out. I chose lemon thyme which adds a hint of sweetness and is bold enough to not be overwhelmed by radicchio's flavors.

With these appetizers you don't have to worry if your guests are fan of bitter flavors.

Serve these and you will see your guests popping them in by the handful wholly unaware of this bold ingredient.

RECIPE

Radicchio Frittata Bites

Makes 24

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups radicchio, finely chopped (about half a radicchio)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon lemon thyme or regular thyme, minced

6 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

6 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat two 12 well mini-muffin tins with cooking spray or butter.

Place butter in a pan on medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add in minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in chopped radicchio and lemon thyme. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes or until radicchio is slightly wilted.

Crack eggs in a small bowl and whisk with salt and pepper. Place bacon, Parmesan and radicchio each in a small bowl. Set the greased muffin tins next to the bowls of filling and whisked eggs. Using a measuring cup or a small container with a spout, pour the egg mixture into each muffin cup, filling only 1/4 of each cup. Spoon a scant teaspoonful Parmesan, bacon and radicchio into each muffin cup. Pour remaining egg mixture over top of the fillings until each muffin cup is around 2/3 full.

Bake for 15 minutes or until eggs are set all the way through. Let cool for 5 minutes and remove with a small spatula and serve immediately.

Source: Heather Younker for The Gazette KCRG-TV9 Cook Club

Positive Pairings

Radicchio's strong flavor allows a little to go along way and can bring balance to dishes that may sway to the sweeter side of things. Its bitterness becomes a positive when paired with the right ingredients.

The best pairings for radicchio:

• Olive oil, nut oils, walnuts, hazelnuts

• Beets, potatoes, apples, pears

• Gruyere cheese, Fontina, Parmesan, grana padano, Gorgonzola

• Garlic, anchovies, red pepper flakes, raisins

• Vinegars with lots of character, including aged red wine, sherry, balsamic, and Banyuls; lemon

• Cream, butter, prosciutto, ham, hard-cooked eggs