Risotto al Radicchio Trevigiano — Veneto's Bittersweet Classic

Heat the vegetable broth in a separate pot to a bare simmer (85–90 °C) and keep it there throughout the cook. Cold stock seizes the rice and breaks the texture.

Trim the radicchio and discard any battered outer leaves. Shred the rest into 1 cm ribbons. Set aside a small handful of the most vibrant raw leaves for garnish; divide the remaining radicchio roughly in half.

Warm 30 g of butter and the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the shallots with a pinch of salt and soften for 4–5 minutes until translucent — no colour.

Add the first half of the radicchio, stir to coat in the fat, and cook for 3–4 minutes until wilted. The colour will shift from purple to pink-brown — that's expected and normal.

Add the Carnaroli rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes to toast the grains. They should become slightly translucent at the edges and smell faintly nutty.

Pour in the red wine and stir to deglaze. Cook for about 90 seconds — you want most of the alcohol off but leave a trace of acidity. Do not drive it completely dry.

Begin adding the hot broth one ladle at a time (roughly 120 ml per ladle), stirring continuously. Maintain a steady medium simmer, not a rolling boil. Add the next ladle only when the previous is nearly absorbed. Continue for 16–18 minutes total.

About 5 minutes before the rice is done, fold in the remaining radicchio. Continue adding broth as needed; the rice is ready when tender with a slight bite (al dente).

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining 30 g of cold butter, cut into cubes, and the grated Parmigiano. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes until the risotto is glossy and flows in a creamy wave when you tilt the pan (all'onda). Season with white pepper and adjust salt.

Serve immediately in warm bowls. Scatter the reserved raw radicchio on top for colour and a hit of fresh bitterness.