Risotto col Radicchio Rosso

One of the best uses to which one can put radicchio, the intriguingly bitter red Italian lettuce, is to make a risotto. Radicchio dissolves almost totally to fuse creamily with the rice, and its original bitterness is rephrased by the cooking to emerge with a softer, gentler accent. Be prepared for a transformation in color: The raw red turns to a subdued, elegant black.