Catalog Chicory with Hazelnuts and Olives, a delicious and quick side dish that goes well with any meal. Also ideal for serving during the Christmas holidays, as it’s seasonal and a truly unusual side dish. With the rest of the chicory, we can prepare the ‘puntarelle’ and cook all the scraps: nothing is wasted from this vegetable, not even the core. Since I tasted it raw and seasoned this way, I can’t do without it anymore. With a slightly bitter taste, typical of the chicory family, it aids digestion, is diuretic, and anti-aging. Catalog chicory, in particular, is rich in vitamins A and C. It’s also ideal for low-calorie diets, as 100 grams of this vegetable provide only 10 kcal.
Here are some links to simple and delicious side dishes:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 14 oz catalog chicory
- 2 tbsps hazelnuts
- 2 tbsps Taggiasca olives
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
Preparation
For this recipe, we’ll use only the green leaves of the catalog chicory, which are usually discarded when preparing Puntarelle alla romana. I usually boil and sauté them as I do with wild chicory, but in this case, we’ll prepare a delicious little salad. After removing all the leaves from the head of the vegetable, gather them together and with a single cut, remove all the white part as it might be tougher. Instead, cut the green part into strips.
Soak it for a few minutes so any dirt residues can soften, then rinse under running water. Dry well by placing it in a salad spinner or with a cotton towel. At this point, coarsely chop both the hazelnuts and Taggiasca olives.
Place the salad in a large bowl and immediately dress it with extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt to taste, and Taggiasca olives.
Finally, add the hazelnuts and mix all the ingredients well.
Serve our Catalog Chicory with Hazelnuts and Olives right after dressing because if you wait too long, it might wilt easily.
Advice
Catalog chicory can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, perfectly but not dressed. Otherwise, only a day before it wilts irreparably.
If we want to prepare in advance for an event, we can prepare everything and assemble it at the last moment.
If we want to prepare in advance for an event, we can prepare everything and assemble it at the last moment.
