Puntarelle

Growers: Matthew and Giana Cioni, The Crows Farm
Chef: Emily Dann, The Corson Building
Bite: Roasted & Raw Puntarelle & Fennel with Preserved Lemon, Ricotta Salata, Honey & Hazelnut Dukkah
Puntarelle are not radicchio, but they are chicory. Puntarelle are grown and consumed in Central and Southern Italy, with different variations of it found in Lazio, Campagna, and Puglia. The name Puntarelle originally didn’t even refer to the plant itself, but to the part of the plant you eat.
The plant is a Catalonian chicory (aka “dandelion” greens) that has been bred to produce a clump of hollow flower shoots emanating from the center of the plant. These bizarre, edible, asparagus-like flower stalks are called Puntarelle. Of all the odd-looking vegetables in the world, Puntarelle is surely in the top five. It resembles a mad-scientist’s experiment of crossing asparagus and fennel.
Italians from the various regions where Puntarelle is grown often feel strongly about there being only one proper way to prepare Puntarelle, but those methods vary by region. It’s almost always eaten raw, with the flower stalks cut into thin strips by either knife or a wire mesh device (a tagliapuntarelle) that juliennes the stalks. The ribbons are then made to curl by being soaked in ice water. Those crunchy green curlicues are then dressed with emulsified oil, garlic, lemon juice, and anchovy. Or just anchovies and garlic. Or just oil and salt. Or just oil, salt, and lemon juice.

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Contained in galleries: 2022 Sagra del Radicchio

Growers: Matthew and Giana Cioni, The Crows Farm <br />
Chef: Emily Dann, The Corson Building<br />
Bite: Roasted & Raw Puntarelle & Fennel with Preserved Lemon, Ricotta Salata, Honey & Hazelnut Dukkah<br />
Puntarelle are not radicchio, but they are chicory. Puntarelle are grown and consumed in Central and Southern Italy, with different variations of it found in Lazio, Campagna, and Puglia. The name Puntarelle originally didn’t even refer to the plant itself, but to the part of the plant you eat. <br />
The plant is a Catalonian chicory (aka “dandelion” greens) that has been bred to produce a clump of hollow flower shoots emanating from the center of the plant. These bizarre, edible, asparagus-like flower stalks are called Puntarelle. Of all the odd-looking vegetables in the world, Puntarelle is surely in the top five. It resembles a mad-scientist’s experiment of crossing asparagus and fennel.<br />
Italians from the various regions where Puntarelle is grown often feel strongly about there being only one proper way to prepare Puntarelle, but those methods vary by region. It’s almost always eaten raw, with the flower stalks cut into thin strips by either knife or a wire mesh device (a tagliapuntarelle) that juliennes the stalks. The ribbons are then made to curl by being soaked in ice water. Those crunchy green curlicues are then dressed with emulsified oil, garlic, lemon juice, and anchovy. Or just anchovies and garlic. Or just oil and salt. Or just oil, salt, and lemon juice.