Etymology
From the Greek kikhorion; its ancient Latin name, cichorium intybus means "January plant" or "winter salad."

General information
Chicory is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant with rosette leaves produced from certain tender-rooted varieties, from the same family as endive.

Since antiquity, wild chicory has been the delight of cooks and Egyptian, Greek and Roman physicians. Grown principally in Flanders, in the triangle defined by Dunkirk, Calais and St. Omer, chicory is harvested in the fall. Drying takes place just a few days after picking so that the root retains all its qualities. The root is then cut up and ground. It is sold powdered, in liquid form or as an extract.

What is referred to as "leaf" chicory falls into several categories:

• Curly endive
• Escarole
• Witloof, or Belgian endive
• Red or Treviso chicory (radicchio)
• There is even a variety called "sugar loaf," because of its shape

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 23; Water: 95%; Carbohydrates 4.7 g; Fat 0.3 g; Protein, 1.7 g. Rich in calcium, phosphorus, Vitamins B and C.

Buying chicory
The stem should be firm and crisp; the leaves should not be blackened or soft. The head should be compact with the leaves ranging from red to purple.

Storage
Chicory is delicate and should be eaten right away. It can, if necessary, be stored for a few days in a cool place or in the refrigerator crisper.

To increase its keeping time, it can be washed, spun dry and wrapped in a damp cloth.

Airtight packaging will make it rot, so be sure that air can always circulate around the leaves.

Use

• With its bitter taste and dark brown colouring properties, chicory is used in northern France to flavour various preparations;
• it is added to coffee, chocolate, water or milk;
• rich in oligo-fructose, chicory also has a high concentration of inulin, a dietary fibre;
• use the leaves in salad

Cooking tips
Chicory is usually eaten raw and is treated as a kind of lettuce or salad green. Its slightly bitter flavour can stand up to assertive ingredients like mustard.

Suggestions

• Chicory is perfect with flavourful dressings, garlic, croutons and bacon.
• Serve in a fall salad with apples and hazelnuts, or with thin green beans, walnuts and grapes
• Or in a tangy salad with diced beets and raspberry vinegar.
• The leaves can be lightly breaded and fried.

The Worldwide Gourmet
Northern France - Cook chicory in a liquid made with beer, veal stock, thyme, bay leaf and juniper berries; thicken and whisk some butter into the sauce; serve with cod poached in the same liquid.

Used in coffee
Some people add a pinch of chicory when making their morning coffee. In the days when coffee was a luxury product, chicory was added to coffee or used as a substitute. This tradition dates back to 1769 in Italy and was taken up some time later in Germany.

During the American civil war, when naval blockades meant a shortage of coffee in New Orleans, chicory was added to extend the brew. The Creoles developed a taste for this blend, and have added chicory to their coffee ever since!