“You say endive and I say chicory—let’s NOT call the whole thing off!”
This is the vegetable in question:
Here in France they call it endive and this is chicorée
In the UK it’s the reverse–perversely.
Oh well–Vive la difference!
This simple method comes from an early Simon Hopkinson book–Roast Chicken and Other Stories.
The bulbs are cooked in a low oven for two hours and emerge with “eat me!” written all over them.
Two medium endive each went well with the chicken last night.
for 2
4 medium endive/chicory bulbs–outer leaves removed, bases sliced off and the bitter little cone carefully removed with the tip of a sharp knife.
2/3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
juice of a lemon
- Heat the oven to 170C/340F/fan oven 160C
- Heat the oil in a pan with a lid, that can go into the oven.
- Place the bulbs in the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Turn them in the oil over a medium low flame to color them.
- Add the lemon juice and let it bubble a moment.
- Cover the pan and put it in the oven for two hours.
- Wise to check them now and again–add a little water if necessary.
- It proved popular in-house!–encore! was heard…
Robin Ellis 