Sauteed Raddicio w/ Crab Salad
I had this wonderful salad that was made with a bed of warm raddicio salad and was topped with crabmeat. This was at Io Et Tu, an Italian restaurant in South Philadelphia that no longer exists. The family opened another restaurant over on Broad Street called Pesto. The salad was one of the specials that night at Io Et Tu and I did not see it on Pesto's menu. The closest recipe I can find on the Internet is the Saloon's Radicchio Veneziano (from Venice). This recipe includes mushrooms, whereas the one I had did not. Also the crab was served on top, not mixed in.
The second recipe is an Italian radicchio salad made with pancetta, onion, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Between the two recipes, I think a salad could be made that comes close to the one I had at Io Et Tu.
The Saloon's Radicchio Veneziano
The Saloon, owned by Richard Santore, has been a South Philadelphia institution for about 30 years. The dish, Radicchio Veneziano, is one of the most popular on the menu.
We got the recipe from the restaurant's longtime chef, Bruno Scarsini, who comes from Venice. Radicchio, a form of chicory, is native to Venice, too, although it is now grown in the United States and elsewhere. Yes, it is expensive. But a little goes a long way. When you shop, look for heads that are firm and brightly colored.
Once you pay for the luxurious ingredients, the Saloon's radicchio salad is relatively easy make.
6 ounces bacon, cut into thin julienne strips
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 large head radicchio (about 3/4 pound), cored and cut into 1 inch slices
1/2 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked clean
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Make this salad just before you serve it. Begin by sauteing the bacon in the olive oil until it begins to color. Add the garlic and continue to cook together until the bacon is crispy. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Next add the radicchio, crab, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Cook about 2 minutes longer, stirring as little as possible, to keep the crabmeat in larger chunks. The dish is done when the radicchio is partially wilted but still red-colored and a little crunchy.
Serve the warm salad immediately. Serves 4.
Radicchio and Bacon Salad Trattoria Chilo Style
Insalata di Radicchio e Pancetta
This recipe is from Ciao Italia - Bringing Italy Home by Mary Ann Esposito, published by St. Martin's Press in 2001.
1/4 pound chunk pancetta, diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 pound (two small heads) radicchio, washed, drained, and torn into pieces
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Cook the pancetta without any additional fat in a sauté pan set over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain the pancetta on brown paper and set it aside.
Wipe out the sauté pan with a paper towel. Add the onion and the balsamic vinegar and cook over medium heat until the vinegar has evaporated. Stir the onion once or twice during the cooking. Transfer the onion to a dish and set it aside.
Put the radicchio in a salad bowl and mix in the pancetta and the onions. Toss the mixture with the salt, then with the olive oil.
Use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top of the salad. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
