Radicchio, known for its gorgeous red leaves, was first cultivated in Italy in the 15th century. 

A member of the chicory family, it spices up any salad. (Check out our previously posted recipes for Romaine, Pecan and Pear Salad and Chicken, Strawberry & Fennel Salad.) 

Radicchio can be pricey in mainstream and organic supermarkets (about $5 for a small head), so it’s a great item to add to your farmers’ market shopping list. Click here to find a location near you. 

Today’s recipe comes from Chef Michael Chiarello, host of the Food Network’s Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello and author of several cookbooks, including Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking and Napa Stories: Profiles, Reflections and Recipes from the Napa Valley. The salad pairs wonderfully with his recipe for Home-Style Minestrone, which I posted in October 2008. 

As for wine, Chef Chiarello advises readers to serve the salad with a Cavit Riesling or Pinot Grigio.

Radicchio Salad

Makes 4 servings

1. In 8-inch skillet, mix lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, beating occasionally with wire whisk, until honey is dissolved.
2. Remove from heat; beat in olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Cut radicchio through the core into quarters; remove core. Next, cut radicchio crosswise into thin ribbons, and place in a large bowl.
4. Remove thick stems from watercress; mix watercress with radicchio.
5. Cut apple in half lengthwise; remove core. Next, cut apple crosswise into paper-thin slices. (A vegetable slicer is handy for this.)
6. Add apple to radicchio and watercress. Toss with enough dressing to moisten salad. 

Recipe courtesy of Chef Michael Chiarello and Blackstone Winery

Organic cabbage is available year-round, and organic apples are at their best this season.

Our weekend recipe combines the two ingredients to make a healthful, tasty and kid-pleasing slaw. One serving contains only 60 calories, while meeting 80% of your daily vitamin C requirement.

Prep time is 15 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Confetti Apple Slaw

Makes 8 servings

1. In a large bowl, stir together juice concentrate and diced apple.
2. Add cabbage, onion, bell pepper and raisins.
3. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, paprika and ground pepper. Add to vegetable mixture.
4. Cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy of the CDC

You’ll make the most nutritious—and delicious—produce choices when you buy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables that are in season. It’s also the most economical way to shop the produce aisle.

So, what’s in season this month?

Apples and sweet potatoes join the peak-season list, while cucumbers, tomatoes and summer squash move off.

Choose firm apples with no soft spots. Sweet potatoes should be firm, dark and smooth.

Here are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top choices:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Corn
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Peaches
• Pears
• Sweet potatoes

Click here to find a farmer’s market near you.

Recipes to Inspire You

1. Grilled Sweet Potato Steaks with Maple Pecan Butter
2. Sweet Potato Pie Smoothies
3. Curried Sweet Potato
4. Granny Smith Guacamole
5. California Waldorf Salad
6. Warm Griddle Salad with Chicken and Apples
7. Apple-Celery Stuffing

Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission

During the study, organic apples were found to have greater antioxidant capacity:

Bernhard Watzl from the Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food in Karlsruhe and his co-workers compared the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of Golden Delicious apples grown under organic and conventional conditions over a three year period (2004-2006).

According to their findings, in 2005 and 2006 the antioxidant capacity was 15 per cent higher in the organic fruit than the conventionally produced fruits. Organic apples grown in 2005 also had a higher polyphenol concentration, said the researchers.

And at the end of the 3-year study, scientists say organically grown apples had a 10% higher concentration of phytochemicals then conventional apples.

Via Food Navigator.

Photo: North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission, Inc.

“Of all of the spices, I find cardamom one of the most intriguing and impressive, with its distinctive floral aroma and unique clean flavor,” says Al Goetze, chief spice buyer for McCormick & Company, Inc. “Cardamom has a rich history, which originated in the tropical rainforests of Southern India. References to cardamom are found in Hindu scriptures dating back thousands of years. New plantings spread the cultivation to Sri Lanka and Guatemala; however, India remains a major producer—and the largest consumer—of cardamom.”

Each 6' to 9' plant has multiple stems, Goetze notes, that “yield the ribbed pods containing the cardamom seeds. Each pod has four to six tiny dark seeds, which are the source of cardamom’s wonderful perfume-like aroma and taste. To ensure minimal loss of color and splitting, immature parrot-green pods are picked just prior to them turning yellow and opening. The pods are then carefully dried in hot air chambers for 16 hours. The cuisines of India and the Middle East favor the whole, immature green pods, which represent about half the crop. Fully ripened yellow pods contain the mature seeds, which have the highest volatile oil content and flavor. They are highly prized for use here in the States.”

Goetze and his family enjoy the following recipe this time of year.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Pecan Streusel Topping

Makes 8 servings

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cardamom, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place sweet potatoes and apples in large saucepan. Add cold water to cover 1" over sweet potatoes. Bring to boil on high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
4. Drain well and return to saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons softened butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of the cardamom and salt. Mash until well blended and smooth.
5. Spoon into lightly greased 1½-quart casserole dish.
6. Mix brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and remaining 1 teaspoon cardamom in small bowl until coarse crumbs form. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
7. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned and heated through.

Read More About Cardamom

A Passage to India
Masala Chai
White Hot Chocolate
Cardamom Flan