Preparation

Remover the outer leaves, cut a little slice off the bottom, cut out the cone-shaped core and wash the chicory in plenty of water.

You can cut the chicory into pieces if you prefer. Average cooking time is 12 minutes. If you want the chicory to retain its white colour even when cooked, try adding a few drops of lemon juice. Just like other vegetables, you shouldn’t leave chicory in the water too long because if you do then it loses its minerals. Chicory and radicchio can be eaten as a snack, as part of lunch or dinner, with a round of drinks and in salads.

Uses
Chicory is usually simmered, prepared in the oven or added to soups. It makes a very tasty raw snack too, due to its slightly bitter and clean taste. This makes it an ideal ingredient for summery mixed vegetable salads. The pleasing shape of its leaves also makes it very suitable for a hors d’oeuvre or amuse-bouche, for instance if filled with salad. You can sprinkle the chicory with lemon juice to ensure that it doesn’t lose its lovely white colour. If you don’t like its slightly bitter taste then remove its hard core and just use the leaves. You can also vary its taste by choosing the right recipe for it. Even kids love eating chicory!