Topic: Chicory

[salad muncher]

Just reading up in books and everyones comments on Chicory as I need to pull mine up and force it but when I cut leaves off to leave root are these leaves edible? as I did try the thinnings and they did not taste to good any info on chicory and your experience on growing greatfully recieved, as my first time growing and no one else at lottie seems to be growing it at lottie.

[terrace max]

The (unforced) leaves of Witloof chicory are for the compost pile, not for eating. I eat the leaves of just about every other sort (at least 30 different varieties), though so you are spoiled for choice.

If you find the taste of chicory leaves too bitter, and most people do, eat them with a strong vinaigrette dressing. It turns them sweet somehow. You could also start off with chicory Pain de Sucre which looks great and self-blanches to make a sweeter leaf. And there's always radicchio types too...

There's a really interesting chicory article here:

 http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4631105-110648,00.html

[dandelion]

And here's how  to cook them the Belgian way:

Boil the chicons (or better still steam them). Drain well.
Make a Bechamel cheese sauce.
Wrap the chicons in sliced of cooked ham. Arrange in an ovenproof dish.
Pour the Bechamel suauce over the chicons. Bit more cheese on the top and pop in the oven

YUMMY!

[Mrs Ava]

Ooo Ooo....I saw the end of a program on UK food the other day and there was a fella eating the leaves of witloof chicory, but cooked long and slow!  The leaves were severed from the root, so they all stayed together if you understand.  They were then laid in a roasting tin and drizzled with olive oil and good balsamic vinegar and cooked in a moderate oven for about 25 or maybe it was 35 minutes.  They looked dark and slimey, but the bloke said they were absolutely delish!

I know someone  ahem....hotpotato....ahem... who I think ate them one year and ended up with a good dose of the belly aches!

[terrace max]

EJ - definitely witloof not soncino?

(If I'm wrong - I'll eat my witloof leaves!)

[Mrs Ava]

I'm sure it was the witloof as he kept saying that it was different to the red leaf chicory - and it did look more like a bunch of dandelion leaves, which is how my witloof leaves looked.  It was that fella from the food hunter, and I have tried to check out the website, but they don't do yesterdays details!!!

[terrace max]

Soncino is very like a dandeliony witloof - it's grown for its radish-like root. Here's a whole crazy website devoted to it!:

http://www.ilbambi.it/english/radice.htm#origini

I had to get my seed from Italy via the US  :-\

[terrace max]

...or actually, engaging my tired old brain, it's probably one of these:

http://www.felcopruners.net/Catalogna.0.html

[salad muncher]

the one I am growing is sugar loaf...the thing is I just came across about forcing in the book by chance did not say anything about forcing so very confused ??? will have a look at your web links and get the brain working seeing as cant go to lottie as it has been tipping it down.

[salad muncher]

thanks all for your help and links I think I know what I am doing now wish they would write this info on the packet but we do like a challenge ::) On the monty link will do as he does and see how it goes by just cutting back leaves and leaving root in..how ever can I ho up as the new shoots come through or can I ho up as I cut back leaves or leave well alone?

[dandelion]

The recipe above is for Witloof!

[sand]

Aaaah chicory, the ultimate comfort food, as per my hubbie's recipe...

Separate the head into seperate leaves, gently melt plenty of  butter and chopped garlic (the more the better) in a large frying pan, mound the leaves up in the pan and place the top on.  Leave to sweat 10-12 minutes, take the top off, turn the heat up for 3-5 minutes. 

Chuck in a bowl and mop up with crusty bread.

Yum, yum, yum, yum, the ultimate supper dish. 

Billy no-mates the day after mind!  Northern French peasant food, chicory is given away at this time of the year over there, we are expected to pay over a quid for two anaemic sprout sized specimens in Tesco.  Grrr.  Must get some going next year.

sand