I absolutely love this delicious combination of goodness from the wonderful Anna Jones especially as it combines two of my favourite foods......fig and radicchio... sweet and bitter all together.
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Radicchio is somewhat overlooked but holds unbelievable health benefits
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🤸♂️as a bitter leaf it promotes bile production which in turn improves fat digestion and supports liver detoxification
🤸♂️it promotes weight loss by virtue of its high fibre content creating satiety
🤸♂️it is an excellent source of vitamin K which has an important role in bone health
🤸♂️it is known to help limit neuronal damage in the brain and is an established treatment for Alzheimer’s
🤸♂️it neutralises damaging free radicals in humans.. think anti cancer
🤸♂️it contains inulin which helps regulate blood sugar
🤸♂️it’s prebiotic fibres help feed a healthy microbiome
🤸♂️it promotes healthy cholesterol levels
Figs, ricotta, radicchio and almonds
Serves 4
200g ricotta
400g of cannellini beans
4 figs, tough stems removed, quartered
1 lemon
Small bunch of thyme or oregano, leaves picked
A pinch of dried red chilli flakes
Salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 red chilli, finely chopped
100g almonds, skin on
1-2 heads of radicchio, shredded
1:If your ricotta is very wet, put it in a small sieve lined with muslin over a bowl in the fridge for a few hours. You will probably get a couple of tablespoons of liquid in the bowl, which you can discard.
2 Set the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and get a large, lipped roasting tray. Scatter the beans into the tray, making a little space in the middle for the ricotta, then turn out the cheese into it.
3 Scatter the quartered figs on top of the beans. Grate the zest of the lemon all over the tray, focusing particularly on the ricotta. Sprinkle over some of the thyme leaves and red chilli flakes along with some salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over the figs and beans. Put in the hot oven for 45 minutes, or until the ricotta has shrunk a little and is beginning to brown, and the beans have softened and their skins crisped.
4 Meanwhile, make your herb oil: bash the rest of the thyme tips in a pestle and mortar until you have a deep green paste, add 4 tbsp olive oil, the chopped fresh chilli and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.
5 When your traybake has had 35 minutes, put the almonds on to a separate tray with a good pinch of salt and pepper, then roast for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.
6 Remove both the traybake and the almonds from the oven, roughly chop the almonds and sprinkle them over the bake with the shredded radicchio. Drizzle over the herb oil and serve in the middle of the table for everyone to dig in. A side of some sauteed spinach & green beans or some sourdough bread might be nice.
Enjoy xx
