Radicchio, Apple, and Squash Tempura
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 hr
Active: 1 hr
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
By Sara Dickerman
As part of an all-fried menu, Sara Dickerman came up with this tempura of cold-weather vegetables. The batter is light enough that it doesn’t overshadow the delicate flavors of the vegetables, while the saba adds a nice sweetness. This recipe is pareve.
Special equipment: You’ll need a deep-frying/candy thermometer, a pair of tongs, and a bamboo skimmer.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 (12-ounce) can IPA beer
- Olive and canola oil, for frying
- 2 small heads radicchio di Treviso
- 1 medium Honeycrisp apple
- 1/2 small delicata squash
- 1/4 cup saba, for dipping (optional)
- Combine flour, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg in a large bowl and stir until evenly combined. Set aside. Beat together eggs and water in a separate bowl until yolks are broken up; stir in beer.
- Make a well in dry ingredients, add beer mixture, and gently stir together until just incorporated (the batter will still be lumpy). Cover and refrigerate.
- Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-frying thermometer with 3 inches of oil (1/2 olive, 1/2 canola) and heat to 360°F over medium heat. Line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare vegetables: Slice radicchio in half lengthwise then cut into 1/4-inch wedges, making sure each wedge has a bit of core to hold it together; set aside. Cut apple into quarters and core. Cut each apple quarter into 1/4-inch wedges; set aside. Scoop seeds and pulp out of squash. Cut squash crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
- Remove batter from the refrigerator. Dip one raddichio wedge at a time into batter. Tap radicchio on the edge of the bowl (leaves should be lightly coated and separate). Carefully place wedge in hot oil; repeat with as many wedges as will fit in a single layer. Fry until radicchio is crisp and light golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. (If necessary, thin batter with additional cold water.) Remove from oil with a skimmer, place on the paper towel–lined plate, and season immediately with salt. Repeat with remaining vegetables, but let squash and apple cook a few minutes longer.
- Serve tempura with saba for dipping or drizzling.
Beverage pairing: Edmunds St. John Shell and Bone White, California. The cold-weather vegetables in this dish have a pleasing, earthy sweetness, which will be reflected by the nutty, mellow fruit in the wine. But this blend of Roussanne and Viognier also has a spicy acidity that keeps the pairing from being heavy.
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