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, celery root, kohlrabi, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, and who knows how many others I forget. Among these we also find chicory root. What do you call chicory roots in your region?

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

Chicory roots are very bitter, but a tonic for the liver, bile, and intestines. Care must be taken not to confuse them with black salsify. They look very similar, but while chicory roots are white, black salsify, as the name suggests, has a black skin.

The taste is completely different too; chicory roots are called bitter roots for a reason, they are bitter, while black salsify roots are sweet, similar to the taste of Jerusalem artichokes.

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

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

Below I also 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 lucky to have an unrivaled variety of vegetables. But if you travel Northern Europe, you often find them as side dishes, presented spectacularly, hooray for tubers!!!