Thanks to its delicately bitter aroma, the chicory plant goes well both raw in salads and steamed, fried or baked. Even though the plant does not thrive in soil and appears clean at first glance, you should wash chicory carefully to remove bacteria and any pesticides that may be stuck on it.
How should chicory be washed before eating?
Chicory should be washed carefully before consumption to remove bacteria and pesticides. Either pluck the leaves individually and wash them in the sink or clean the entire sprout under running water. Then dab with kitchen paper or a towel.
Chicory a typical winter vegetable
The sprouts of the chicory plant are in season from October to March. Since chicory salad is mainly grown in dark, air-conditioned rooms, the vegetable is available in well-stocked supermarkets all year round.
You can recognize good quality by the firm, bright heads. The leaf tips should at most be light yellow in color. If their tone is greenish, a lot of bitter substances have already formed and the chicory is inedible.
Method 1: Wash chicory leaves individually
This is how you clean chicory that is to be processed into salad, for example:
- First break off the outer leaves. These will not be used.
- Pluck all other leaves individually so that only the stalk is left.
- Put water in the sink and clean the chicory leaves thoroughly.
- Only a little water sticks to the smooth surface. This is blotted with a piece of kitchen paper or a towel.
Method 2: Wash sprouts
If you want to use the sprouts whole, break off the unsightly outer leaves and clean the salad chicory carefully under running water.
Cleaning chicory
The tender vegetables are also very uncomplicated to prepare and are therefore perfect when things need to be done quickly in the kitchen:
- First cut off three to four centimeters from the lower part.
- If the chicory is to be cooked whole, cut it in half after washing. Then cut out the stalk in a wedge shape. It is quite hard and also contains a lot of bitter substances.
- If the chicory is to be made into a salad, cut it into fine strips. This means that the taste is less intense and emphasizes the aroma of the other ingredients in a pleasant way.
Tip
Store chicory at home in a dark and cool place. Wrap the vegetables in a slightly damp kitchen towel and place them in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Here salad chicory lasts for three to four days without loss of quality.
