Good hot and steaming but also cold, boiled Catalogna chicory is an excellent side dish that is easy and quick to prepare.
My father is a passionate forager of edible wild herbs, and among these is wild chicory or field chicory; when wild chicory is not available, I buy Catalogna chicory or field chicory.
“Friendly to the liver and not contrary to the stomach,” as the physician Galen defined it.
Catalogna chicory is not as bitter as wild chicory but is sweet almost like lettuce.
When boiling it, use as little water as possible to better preserve its beneficial properties.
You can use it in soups, purees, and broths.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Catalogna chicory (or field chicory)
- to taste water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
Suggested Tools
- 1 Colander
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
Preparation
Catalogna chicory is usually less dirty with soil than wild chicory.
Remove the terminal part of the stem.
Remove the outer leaves.If the chicory is very dirty with soil:
• pour it into the sink and cover it with water;
• shake the leaves to facilitate cleaning;
• empty the sink.If the chicory is fairly clean you can go directly to the next step:
• wash the chicory under running water to remove any soil and sand residues.Move it to a colander and let it drain.
You can leave the leaves whole or cut them in half or into more parts.
In a pot, bring salted water to a boil.
Add the chicory and a pinch of baking soda to keep it a bright green color and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the stem is tender and to the desired consistency.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a bowl.Dress with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil raw.
Plate it.
Your boiled Catalogna chicory is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
It is excellent hot, warm, and cold.
• boiled lettuce;
• cooked iceberg lettuce:
select and wash the iceberg lettuce leaves, cut them into pieces as if you were preparing a salad;
in a pot, pour two fingers of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil;
pour the iceberg lettuce pieces into the pot and stir with a silicone spatula until wilted [keep it more or less crunchy according to taste];
pour the iceberg lettuce and its water into a plate, dress with a drizzle of oil raw.
To be consumed hot, warm, or cold, it does not keep because particularly the tender inner leaves tend to brown once cooked.
Indicated for those, like me, who have difficulty digesting “raw” lettuce [intestinal disturbances, bloating, stomach ache].
Notes
Hyperglycemia, prediabetes and diabetes.
Here you find dedicated recipes.
Remember:
• start the meal with a generous portion of vegetables [raw or cooked];
• a balanced meal must contain all nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats & fibers;
• always prepare it respecting the proportions and food combinations indicated in your dietary plan.
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