Radicchio. The only encounters I’ve ever had with this vegetable have been in those prewashed, prepackaged salad mixes that you buy when you’re too lazy to hack up a head of lettuce, or simply because it’s convenient. I recall that it tasted crunchier, but much more bitter.

Thus, I was a bit perplexed when it arrived, green & purple, in my CSA box this past week. I began searching the Internet & Pinterest, to get inspired. Immediately, a recipe popped up that seemed somewhat doable, and bearable – and would also use the snap peas still lurking in my fridge. I had to give it a try.

Snap Pea & Radicchio Slaw – adapted from Real Simple

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (not pictured)
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• salt & pepper
• sugar snap peas, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 small head radicchio, washed and sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp bacon bits (not pictured)

In a medium bowl, combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and a dash of salt & pepper. Add peas, radicchio, and bacon bits; toss to combine.

You can see when comparing the two recipes that mine is slightly different. When making this recipe originally, I thought that the dressing was much too sour (this is coming from a girl who loves her dill pickles and salt&vinegar anything!) and was missing ‘something’. I added the lemon juice and it seemed to mellow out the vinegar while sweetening the greens. The bacon bits were also added to give a sort of pseudo-smoky flavor to the slaw. Both additions I feel really rounded out the dish.

I enjoy the contrast of colors ! Very summery.

Before coming across this recipe, I would never think that snap peas and radicchio would be a good combination. But it works, it’s tasty, and a pretty good dish for this time of year – very light and crisp. I hope that this will help someone out there feel a little less intimidated by the head they find in their weekly CSA box!