Belgian Endives (Chicory)
Endives are a traditional winter vegetable popular in France and of course in Belgium, where they are called "Chicons" by the Walloons and "Whitloof" (white leaf) by the Flemish. In England they are known as "Chicory", in Australia and NZ as "Whitloof".
They are not expensive in Europe. Quite a different story in the US, where they are imported. Only the larger supermarkets and some specialty stores carry them - at a price! In the US the "Belgian Endives", as they are known there, are mostly eaten raw in salads. In Europe they are more than often braised and served as a side dish.
It's quite a process to grow Endives, a member of the chicory family. Here is a quote from Albert Dupont's excellent book Cooking with Endives: "Jeff Lambrecht was a farmer in Kortenberg, a small town half way between Brussels and Leuven, Belgium, in the period around 1850. He had placed some chicory roots in a cellar for future transformation into a coffee substitute - a common practice back then (note that this is the same product found today in New Orleans-style coffee - roasted and ground chicory root!). Whether he forgot them in the cellar, hid them there to avoid a purported chicory root tax, or became ill for a while is not well documented. However, upon reentering the cellar in the spring, he discovered that the chicory roots had sprouted in that dark, damp environment producing a small, blanched shoot. Curious, he nibbled some leaves and found them to be tender, moist and crunchy, albeit slightly bitter. It was, he quickly decided, a leafy vegetable! Without realizing it, he had started a new farming industry."
I like Endives a lot - they have both texture and flavour. When cooked they are slightly bittersweet, but not overpowering. By the way, endives do not have a good shelf live. They can be stored up to 2 days in a brown bag in the fridge. They are best eaten right after purchasing. The raw leaves of the endives make perfect vessels for canapés.
