Castelfranco: A Bitter Italian Chicory

Castelfranco is a striking pale-cream chicory speckled with magenta freckles, sometimes called the 'orchid of winter.' Like radicchio and endive, it is part of the chicory family, but its bitterness is gentler — closer to butter lettuce with a clean bite at the back. The leaves are sturdy enough for warm dressings yet tender enough for raw salads. It pairs beautifully with sweet, fatty and savory partners: honey, hazelnuts, blue cheese, roasted pears, prosciutto, soft fresh cheeses like goat curd. Look for it in autumn and winter at Italian grocers and good farmers' markets. Treat it like a salad green: tear, don't chop, and dress just before serving.