Endive

Endive is a leafy vegetable related to Belgian endive (chicory). It can be eaten raw, boiled or braised: great in mash dishes, but also crisp and fresh in salads.

Latin name: Cichorium endivia
Origin: Mediterranean region

Description

Endive is now available all year round. Traditionally, its season runs roughly from spring to autumn; in winter it often comes from greenhouse growing.

There are two main types: curly endive (frisée) and broad-leaf endive. Curly endive is usually a little more bitter, while broad-leaf endive tends to be milder and softer in flavour.

In the kitchen

A classic dish is mash with raw endive stirred in: the heat from the mash softens the leaves slightly while keeping the flavour fresh. Endive is also excellent steamed or braised, for example with onion and a splash of cream, or quickly tossed through a stir-fry.

In salads, endive adds a gentle bitterness that pairs well with apple, lemon, nuts, cheese and creamy dressings. For a savoury twist, you can also wrap endive with bacon and pan-fry briefly.

Before using, remove the hard base (the stalk end): it’s the most bitter part.

Storage & preparation

When buying, look for fresh, firm leaves without brown edges. Avoid dark green, soft patches, which can indicate the plant is starting to rot.

Store endive in the fridge, ideally in the vegetable drawer. Curly endive generally keeps for a shorter time than broad-leaf endive.

To freeze endive, blanch briefly (about 1 minute), cool immediately in ice water, drain well and pack airtight. Frozen endive keeps for a few months and is best used in cooked dishes.