Sautéed chicory is an easy and simple side dish to prepare, suitable for accompanying a meat main course. Simple and tasty, this rustic dish has Lazio origins, but it’s so good that it’s widespread almost everywhere. I confess I love sautéed chicory so much that the last time I used it to fill a sandwich.
Let’s talk a little about this vegetable. Chicory, or better known as asparagus chicory, is a green leafy vegetable that grows wild in fields all year round. A healthy and valuable food in many ways: it helps purify the body, stimulates kidney function, and is perfect for many preparations. The characteristic of this vegetable is its slightly bitter taste, which can be more or less appreciated. To eliminate the bitter taste, you can blanch the chicory with potatoes for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can use baking soda. You can also boil it in a pressure cooker with a teaspoon of baking soda. Another remedy to remove the bitter taste is to blanch the vegetable with lemon juice or vinegar.
In short, there are various remedies. Once you have eliminated the bitterness, all that remains is to sauté it in a pan with oil, garlic, and chili pepper. Now, just read the recipe because sautéed chicory will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other side dish recipes, read also:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 72.90 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.00 (g) of which sugars 0.02 (g)
- Proteins 0.67 (g)
- Fat 7.07 (g) of which saturated 1.02 (g)of which unsaturated 0.03 (g)
- Fibers 2.08 (g)
- Sodium 776.69 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 77 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 9.3 oz chicory (cleaned)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- chili pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Steps
First, clean the chicory by separating the stalks from the base. Discard the yellow or damaged leaves and cut the leaves into pieces about 2 cm (3/4 inch) in size. Then, rinse the vegetable under water and wash it very well. If you prefer, to remove the bitter taste that characterizes this vegetable, you can blanch it in plenty of salted water for 5 minutes, adding baking soda, lemon, and vinegar. I used the vegetable raw.
Then clean two garlic cloves and remove the less digestible inner part. Transfer them to a pan, crush them with the prongs of a fork, and add the oil. Brown them for a few minutes over low heat with the chili pepper, until they are slightly golden.
At this point, add the chicory leaves, season with salt, and continue cooking with the lid on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetable is wilted.
Sautéed chicory is ready to be served hot! Remove the garlic cloves if you prefer and add more chili pepper.
Variations and Tips for Sautéed Chicory
This side dish can be stored in the refrigerator for two or three days. It can also be frozen.
Information on chicory taken from: Sale e Pepe.
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FAQ Questions and Answers for Sautéed Chicory
How do I remove the bitter taste from chicory?
You can cook it in abundant water with potatoes, or add a teaspoon of baking soda, or some lemon or vinegar.
Why is chicory bitter?
The typical bitter taste of this vegetable is given by polyphenols: antioxidant substances that are particularly valuable for our body.
