Oregon State Professor’s Breeding Group Puts Radicchio on Local Shelves

The Pacific Northwest shares a climatic affinity with the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, a connection that has driven local agriculture to embrace radicchio. This bitter, vividly colored leafy vegetable was once a niche curiosity but has become a standard fixture in regional produce sections.

Lane Selman, a professor of practice at Oregon State University, created the Culinary Breeding Network to bridge the gap between plant science and kitchen demand. The group consists of plant breeders, farmers, cooks, and food enthusiasts who work together to develop vegetable varieties that small farms can grow profitably while ensuring the crops appeal to consumers.

Selman and her associates spent more than a decade promoting the vegetable to the public. Their efforts shifted the local perception of radicchio from a challenging ingredient to a desirable one. The result is a market saturated with options, including the red balls of Chioggia, the pink loose-leafed Rosa del Veneto, and the pale green Castelfranco.

Jim Dixon, founder of Wellspent Market and a longtime food writer for Willamette Week, notes that the variety of colors and textures available today is a direct outcome of this breeding work. He emphasizes that most radicchio varieties live up to their bitter reputation, though lighter colored types tend to be less puckery.

Dixon suggests a simple technique to manage the bitterness for those who find it too intense. Soaking cut leaves in cold water for at least 30 minutes can tame the flavor profile. He also recommends pairing the vegetable with sweet and salty elements to balance the taste on the plate.

A radicchio salad with pear and Pecorino Romano demonstrates this balance. The recipe calls for about three cups of chopped radicchio, mixed to include different varieties. The bitter greens are combined with cored, sliced Bosc pears and finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

The dressing provides a creamy counterpoint to the sharp leaves. It consists of two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of red wine vinegar, one teaspoon of fish sauce, and three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. The mixture is seasoned with garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper before being tossed with the vegetables and topped with optional croutons.