Sometimes we really get into a rut with the vegetables that we eat.  Jamie and I consume a lot of Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, asparagus, onions, cucumbers and mixed greens.  Last week while I was at the grocery store, I wanted to branch out.  I wanted to try something different and maybe a bit exotic to go along with the salmon I was planning on cooking for dinner.

Walking up and down the vegetable aisles, I was waiting to be inspired.  Then I saw it.  A glimpse of purple out of the corner of my eye.  Radicchio?  Hmmmm, I have never purchased this “lettuce” before.  I was thinking that maybe I could make some kind of salad.  Right beside the radicchio was Belgian endive.  I figured that since they were beside each other in the produce section, that they were meant to go together.

When I arrived home with my purchases, I started searching on-line for the perfect salad dressing recipe.  But then I stumbled across a lot of references to grilling radicchio and endive.  Now, we live in an apartment, so we don’t have a BBQ, but we do have a cast iron grill pan.  Could I introduce a new cooked vegetable into our rotation?  I was hopeful.

With a little bit of olive oil, some sprigs of rosemary and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, these grilled vegetables were amazing!  The bitterness of the grilled radicchio and the tanginess of the grilled Belgian paired quite nicely with the sweetness of the maple glazed salmon that we prepared for dinner.

For lunch the next day, we made a tasty salad out of the leftover salmon and grilled vegetables.  They were just as delicious cold as they were warm. 🙂

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Adapted from:

American Public Media – Grilled Winter Endives (Cicorie alla Griglia)
Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Ingredients:

• 2 Belgian Endives – split vertically
• 2 heads Radicchio – quartered vertically
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove – minced
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• salt & pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Toss the Belgian endive and radicchio with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Pre-heat grill pan.  Once hot, place vegetables cut side down over medium-heat.  Layer with sprigs of rosemary.
3. Turn vegetables, once grill marks appear and they start to caramelize.  Make sure that radicchio and endive are grilled on all sides.
4. Once cooked (about 10 minutes) serve with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan cheese.
5. Serve either hot or cold.