I am not the type of person that goes to the grocery store without a plan. I have a buttoned up, triple-checked-for-accuracy grocery list divided into separate “work” and “personal” columns. Specific brands of products and sizes/varieties of fruits and vegetables are noted. On the back of the list is a meal plan for the week, outlining which entree and side dishes we will eat each night.

There is one exception to this meticulousness. Sometimes while meal planning, I find myself thinking, “I can’t eat any more carrots or Brussels sprouts – I need to find a new vegetable to make. But wait a minute, what type of vegetables are there, even?” My mind literally draws a blank as to what types of vegetables are even available for consumption, so I’ll just write on the meal plan (and corresponding grocery list) “TBD Vegetable.” This is the one thing I don’t have mulled over and planned for before arriving at the store. I know. Living right on the edge.

So yeah, there are actually tons of vegetables that I routinely overlook. Instead of grabbing some green beans and getting in and out of the store as quickly as possible, lately I’ve been really taking some time to study all the types of produce available. This time around, I saw a head of radicchio that looked particularly inviting, so I dropped it in my cart.

I knew I wanted to roast this radicchio rather than eat it raw, and like with my Orange Roasted Chicken & Apricots, I turned to my Sharp R-830 Convection Microwave Oven. This new appliance has convection technology that gives you perfect roasting, baking and browning, while the microwave gets the cooking done fast!

I cut my cute little head of radicchio into quarters, and removed the tough core. I simply placed the wedges on a small toaster oven pan and drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled them with salt and pepper. Using the “Roast” feature of the R-830, I was able to quickly cook the radicchio until it was just tender. Bonus: I didn’t have to heat up my house one bit, as all the heat stays right in the little oven!

While the radicchio was roasting, I made a quick balsamic reduction. When the radicchio wedges came out, I topped them with the syrup-like balsamic reduction, along with some crumbled blue cheese, walnuts and parsley. This Roasted Radicchio Wedge Salad was a perfect weeknight side dish that shook up my boring ol’ carrot/Brussels sprouts/same old/same old routine!

Want to stay cool this summer and win your very own Sharp R-830 Convection Microwave Oven? Come back here next Thursday, June 25, for a new recipe and a giveaway!

UPDATE 10/17/16: Sharp Home has recently stopped production of the R-830 model of their Convection Microwave Oven and has come out with a new model, the R-930CS Sharp Carousel Countertop Convection + Microwave Oven.

Yield: 4 servings

Roasted Radicchio Wedge Salad

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Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head radicchio, quartered and cored
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Place radicchio on small toaster oven pan; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to turntable of Sharp R-830 Convection Microwave Oven. Cook 5 to 7 minutes on ROAST (top & bottom elements) or until radicchio is tender-crisp.
2. Meanwhile, place vinegar in medium saucepot. Cook over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes or until vinegar is reduced by half (should be a pourable syrup consistency). Watch pot closely as vinegar reduces to make sure it does not boil over.
3. Place radicchio on serving platter. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle with blue cheese, parsley and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Disclosure: This was a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sharp Electronics Corporation. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.