How to cook chicory and prepare it properly?

How to prepare chicory leaves or root?

Endive, escarole, curly endive or simply chicory is what we call leafy chicory. And the good news is that they can all be prepared in the twinkling of an eye:

1. Always cut off the base, or remove the heart, the most bitter part.
2. Thinning: remove the first, damaged or old leaves.
3. Wash
4. Wring out

As for preparation, it all depends on what you want to concoct or your recipe. You can cook it whole, in pieces or with the leaves removed.

As for chicory root, you don’t need to prepare it beforehand, as it’s already been put through its paces! At Leroux, we offer chicory in soluble powder, ground, granulated or liquid form. And it’s thanks to chicory “cossettes”, dried strips of chicory, that we can concoct all our Leroux products.

How to cook chicory leaves or root?

Salad or leaf chicory

The leaves (endive, escarole or curly) can be eaten raw or cooked. Chicory salads, eaten raw, need nothing more than their beautiful leaves and a light vinaigrette. A classic vinaigrette with olive oil, a mild one with honey, or one with citrus character! Endive and chicory can also be eaten in salads, raw or cooked. Who hasn’t tried braised or au gratin endives?

All chicories have that bitter taste that gives them their character. So, in the kitchen, you have two options: tone down the bitterness by combining your chicory with a sweetener (honey, fruit, brown sugar or brown sugar) or, on the contrary, reveal it. In this sense, chicory goes well with citrus fruits (pomelo, orange), cheeses (blue, Roquefort) or any fatty substance. Think bacon, duck breast, salmon, avocado, vegetable oils… The most surprising pairings are sometimes the best.

Leroux chicory

Chicory root, whether soluble or granulated, is most often used as a hot beverage. Between you and me, it couldn’t be simpler. Our recipe? 1 teaspoon of Leroux chicory for 25 cl to ½ liter of water. Bring to the boil, boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can prepare it as you would a tea: as an infusion in your tea ball!

And if you like your coffee in the morning, you can add a few chicory beans to your coffee filter to sweeten it. Soluble chicory can be prepared infused in water or… in milk for those with a sweet tooth.

What’s more surprising? Leroux chicory can also be used in concentrated liquid form as a culinary aid in all your recipes. You can use chicory in sauces, simmered dishes, pastries…

Dare to combine flavors with chicory root

Pastry, sauce, base? Yes! Its roasted, lightly caramelized flavor and intense taste go very well with vegetables, meats, fish… And any dessert.

On meat or vegetables, liquid chicory can add a fine glaze (usually made with sugar) and coat your preparations with a flavor halfway between coffee and caramel. The same goes for stock, broth, pan-fried vegetables or woks: chicory adds brilliance and flavor to your recipes.

Finally, you can use chicory to enhance your pastries. For example, it can replace coffee in a chicory-flavored tiramisu or vanilla bean in a custard or crème brûlée.

So, how do you cook chicory? Well, just as you like it, in savoury, sweet or infused recipes.