Serves 6

Radicchio has a tendency to turn brown during cooking, but sautéing it quickly and deglazing the pan with port helps to prevent this from happening.

3 radicchio di Treviso or 3 heads of regular radicchio

30g butter

2 tsp icing sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp ruby port

3 tbsp vegetable stock

2-3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted and chopped

1 Halve or quarter the radicchio, depending on their size. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based, non-stick sauté pan until foaming. Meanwhile, dust the cut side of the radicchio with icing sugar and season with salt and pepper. Place in the butter, cut-side down, and cook over a high heat for about a minute, until the icing sugar has caramelised and the radicchio has softened slightly.

2 Immediately pour in the port, shaking the pan a little until it has reduced to a syrupy glaze. This should take about 20 seconds. Flip the radicchio and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and allow to bubble away, tilting the pan and basting the radicchio with the juices as they reduce.

3 Transfer the radicchio to a warmed serving dish. Spoon over any syrupy juices left in the pan and sprinkle with the pine nuts. Serve without delay.

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