This is the red leafed member of the chicory family that came from the Treviso area of Northern Italy. The leaves are red, firm and crisp, with a slightly bitter, peppery taste. Its rich red color adds brightness to salads, and it is an excellent garnish. You can also braise Radicchio in stock for a nice accompaniment. 

Radicchio come in two types, a round ball shaped head, and an elogated head. It is also available in a variegated red and green and a newer green type. 

Radicchio is loaded with vitamin A, is high in fiber  and one cup of torn leaves has about 10 calories. One head will feed two persons.

Here are some Radicchio sites to link into:

http://www.1webblvd.com/coosemans/prod104.htm

http://www.oldhouseweb.net/gardening/Detailed/631.shtml

http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~robsond/solutions/horticulture/docs/radicchi.html

http://www.napanet.net/~dennis/recipes/polenta.html