Chicory
Pronounce it: chik-or-ee
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.
Availibility
All year round, but the British season is from January to mid March.
Choose the best
Look for firm, crisp leaves and avoid those with green tips, as theyll be very bitter.
Prepare it
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 lenthways into halves or quarters. Once cut, brush with lemon juice to prevent discolouration.
Store it
It will last for around a week in a perforated bag in the fridge.
Try
Can't find it
Try radicchio.
Your binder
Sign up to start your online recipe binder, get our newsletter and add recipes, comments and ratings to this site. Tell me more
Your binder
Here are three other great reasons to sign up:
- You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
Search Good Food
