I had this dish in London this past Summer and I’ve craved its taste ever since. While I have actually tried recreating it a couple of times, it never did turn out right, that is, until last week. Finally, I prevailed: the radicchio didn’t taste like all of the bitterness of the world put together in one morsel and the vegetable as a whole still had a nice bite to it, without being limp. I find this dish to be really nice, the slight bitterness of the leaves pairs so well with the sweetness of the cheese and the sweet-tartness of the balsamic vinegar.

Below is the recipe for Grilled Radicchio Stuffed with Mozzarella and it is really really good. And also, just so you know, you can go all vegan with it, by using a vegan type of Mozzarella or omitting the cheese altogether, it is so good on its own, it can easily do with nothing added to it, except for the leftover marinade, that is truly great drizzled on top of the finished dish, vegan or not.

Grilled Radicchio with Mozzarella

Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main

1 head radicchio

3 large garlic cloves, pressed

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 balls mozzarella, cut into 16 slices

Salt and pepper, to taste

First, wash the radicchio and cut into 4 quarters lengthwise. Immerse cut pieces in an ice bath, placing a plate on top, to make sure that all of the radicchio pieces are covered in ice water. Allow to stand for one hour; do not omit this step, as it helps get rid of the bitter taste of the radicchio.

Remove radicchio pieces from ice bath and dry with paper towels. Soak one quarter radicchio at a time in the marinade, making sure the inside of the leaves are covered in it as well, then drain and set on a baking tray (lined with parchment paper) large enough to hold all the radicchio slices at once, yet small enough to fit in your grill pan.

Heat a grill skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, arrange radicchio on the grill and allow to sear about 2-4 minutes on each side. Remove to the unlined baking tray, then open up the leaves and stick 4 mozzarella pieces between the leaves of radicchio quarter, at an approximately equal distance. Place baking tray on the grill, cover with a large enough lid and allow the cheese to melt, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from skillet and cut off the white centre. Arrange on a serving platter, drizzle with some more of the marinade and serve!