Chicory

Chicory is a vegetable from the daisy family, cultivated for both its leaves and root. In the kitchen, the most common variety is Belgian endive, compact, pale heads with a pleasantly bitter flavour. Raw, it adds a satisfying crunch and bitterness to salads. When braised or baked with butter and a touch of sugar, the bitterness softens and the leaves develop a gently caramelised taste. Chicory root has long been used as a coffee substitute, dried and roasted, it gives beverages an earthy, mildly bitter note. It is also a rich source of inulin, a prebiotic fibre that supports a healthy gut microbiome and aids digestion.