Also known as endive, chicory is a forced crop, grown in complete darkness, which accounts for its blanched white, yellow-tipped leaves. It has a distinctive, cigar-like shape, about 12cm long, and the crisp leaves have a mildly bitter flavour. If the end is cracked or discoloured, trim it off, then remove any limp outer leaves. Then, depending on how you want to use it, either leave whole, separate the leaves, or slice lengthways into halves or quarters.
Once cut, brush with lemon juice to prevent discolouration. As well as being enjoyed raw in salads, chicory can also be cooked on the grill, boiled or steamed. Orecchiette with Sausage and Chicory. Warm Chicory Salad with Mushrooms. Soup of Bitter Greens with Cheese Dumplings. Calabrese Mustard Greens. Just a little red wine vinegar transforms this otherwise familiar bowl of garlicky greens. Typically, the young tender leaves are richer in flavor.
In contrast, the older ones feature a cardboard-like texture and an unpleasantly dense bitterness. When endive has already turned old and is close to rotting, you can still salvage it by cooking. Even salting the inner leaves and rinsing with some cold water can work wonders. Be sure to discard the older, rotting leaves if there are any. Endive tastes awesome even when eaten in its raw form. The tightly bunched leaves work wonders for raw salads, while the broader-ones taste equally great to wrap or hold grilled or cooked snacks, bringing out a unique taste in every bite.
The raw endive leaves are crunchy and a bit bitter, but you can always mellow the flavor to some extent by cooking it. In fact, it can also get a bit sweet at times when cooked. Toss with olive oil, some sugar, salt and pepper, and roast at degrees until the leaves become tender. Drizzle with a little sherry vinegar to mask the bitterness even more and make it an excellent side dish or buffet offering.
Endive is a beautiful winter vegetable and so much more versatile than most people consider it to be. In this case, however, I would suggest you to blanch the greens just for a few seconds instead of boiling them down or just skip boiling them altogether. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Get seasonal recipe ideas as well as special offers on our online programs, live webinars and video releases. Sent once a week. By using this site, you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.
Search for:. By Giorgia Fontana. Print Recipe Pin Recipe. Prep Time 5 mins. Cook Time 15 mins. Total Time 20 mins. Servings 2. Calories kcal.
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