A very simple winter side dish is sautéed chicory roots. Often in search of appetizing and quick side dishes to bring to the table, we forget the precious winter tubers that are so good for us. Turnips, beets, carrots, celeriac, rutabaga, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, and who knows how many we forget. Among these, we also find the chicory root. What do you call chicory roots in your region?

They are also known as white roots, Chiavari roots, bitter roots, soncino roots, radicce, and here in Veneto, coe de radicio.

Chicory roots are very bitter, but a remedy for the liver, bile, and intestines. Be careful not to confuse them with scorzonera. They look very similar, but while chicory roots are white, scorzonera, as the name suggests, has a black skin.

The taste is also completely different, chicory roots are called bitter roots for a reason, they are bitter, while scorzonera roots are sweet, similar to the taste of Jerusalem artichoke.

Oh, you might not know that dried and roasted bitter roots become the famous chicory coffee, naturally caffeine-free, with a hint of caramel and licorice. A beverage that aids digestion, supports liver function, and is an antioxidant.

That being said, today we cook the bitter roots, and to make them more appetizing, we sauté them in a pan with a bit of raisins, lemon juice to prevent oxidation, and some grated peel. Finally, we mix them with carrots to make them more palatable.

Below I leave you some quick recipes for other types of tubers, remember they are precious for our health. We Italians use them little because with our climate we are fortunate to have an unparalleled variety of vegetables. But if you travel across Northern Europe, you will often find them as spectacularly presented side dishes, hooray for tubers!!!