Radicchio is one of those ingredients that’s great to have in your entertaining repertoire. It’s beautiful on the plate, it’s got a great balance of bitter and sweet that complements many fall ingredients, and it’s more special than the standard workaday lettuce that people keep in their crisper drawers. It also happens to make an unusual yet stunning stand-in for iceberg in this twist on the classic wedge salad. As good as radicchio is raw, I opted to sear the radicchio wedges in a hot pan to char the outer leaves but leave the insides crisp. From there, I draped the wedge with buttermilk-crème fraîche dressing and garnished with pancetta, pears, blue cheese, and herbs. It’s a low-effort, high-reward side dish -- the very best kind when it comes to entertaining.

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