Radicchio Wedge Salad with Curried Blue Cheese Dressing and Campari Raisins

The iceberg wedge salad. Now a common steakhouse and “New American” restaurant menu staple, the iceberg wedge wasn’t always so readily accepted by the hungry public. In fact, yours truly was waiting tables during the iceberg wedge’s rise to popularity, and I recall many a diner shooting me a barbed, “What the hell is this?” or “Um, did someone forget to chop the lettuce? Send it back.” I could feel my tips dwindling. But like hybrid cars, the Internet, and casual Fridays, the iceberg wedge went from shunned to tolerated to embraced. However, as eaters’ palates have become more adventurous, the iceberg wedge is now playing second fiddle to salads that use darker, more exotic greens, innovative dressings, and interesting touches like candied walnuts, pickled shallot, and marketable “superfoods” such as goji berries and pomegranate seeds.

Rather than burn out or fade away, perhaps the wedge salad simply needs a makeover!

Last night, I created a modern twist on the classic wedge salad, using radicchio instead of traditional iceberg lettuce. I originally planned on dressing it in a garlicky aioli, but I decided to at least stay parallel to tradition, so I concocted a runny blue cheese dressing with a punch of curry. The richness of the creamy blue cheese paired delightfully with the warm, bitter radicchio. Still, the plate needed something else, but what? Perhaps something sweet to counter the bitterness of the radicchio and the kick of heat in the curry? Raisins! But I’d have to plump them first; otherwise I’d risk having my plate look like it had been sprinkled with rabbit poo. I didn’t have any open wine, and I feared that whiskey or grappa would be far too strong, so I chose Campari. Campari is an Italian liqueur with a bitter, yet sweet and almost citrusy flavor; it seemed like a logical choice for this dish. I soaked the raising in warmed Campari to speed up the plumping process, and then I sprinkled the raisings on the plate with my radicchio wedge.

The result? Sheer perfection! If your palate is not accustomed to bitter ingredients, you may not appreciate the complexity of this dish, but if you like bold, unique flavors, you’ll surely fall in love with this modern twist on the classic iceberg wedge salad!


Radicchio Wedge Salad with Curried Blue Cheese Dressing and Campari Raisins

For the Campari Raisins:
2 T. raisins
3 T. Campari, warmed but not boiling

For the dressing:
3-4 T. high-quality blue cheese dressing
2 T. olive oil
2 t. Campari (use the liquid left after the raisins have soaked)
2 t. turmeric
1 t. garlic powder
¼ t. cayenne, or to taste
Dash finely ground black pepper

2 heads radicchio, quartered
1 T. olive oil

Soak the raisins in the warmed Campari for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven’s broiler over a low setting, and if you can’t control the setting, simply use the rack farthest away from the heat source. In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together until they are completely blended. Set aside until ready to use.

Now, it is time to broil the radicchio. Brush each cut surface of the radicchio quarters with the olive oil, lay the curved side on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil, and broil for 5-7 minutes. Do not let the radicchio burn.

Once the radicchio has broiled, place a quarter or two on individual serving plates, drizzle the dressing over the radicchio, and sprinkle each plate with a few raisins. Serve immediately.