A Chicory Armed With Spears

At a cool season farmer’s market, chances are you’ll meet a leafy inexperienced vegetable that appears like a cross between a large dandelion and asparagus. There are the lengthy, toothed dandelion leaves, and there, enclosed inside them, are the agency spears. What’s it?

Puntarelle, which suggests “little factors” in Italian, is a chicory that is still much less acquainted in america than the radicchios and endives which have turn into ubiquitous. Like them, it combines crunch with a mild bitterness; however with puntarelle, that crunch is explosive. The factors are the crispest and mildest a part of the vegetable, whereas the leaves preserve the bitterness shut.

Images by Marie Viljoen.

Within the US, you’re more likely to discover puntarelle on the autumn menus of fine Italian eating places—the greens are beloved in Italy. The season in Europe is mostly from winter via spring. They could be served dressed merely however intensely with lemon and anchovies (within the model referred to as alla Romana), their plate a pale tangle of shredded spears; the longer factors of some cultivars are sometimes served after being soaked in ice chilly water to make them curl.

Puntarelle final exceptionally nicely within the fridge—as much as three weeks if handled nicely (which means, not soaking in water, and nicely wrapped or enclosed). Earlier than storing them, I trim their bases and refresh these chicories by soaking the entire heads in cool water for an hour, then dry them nicely, wrap, and switch to the crisper drawer.

Puntarelle and Avocado Salad

Serves 1

Whereas I feel the basic anchovy-and-lemon remedy is scrumptious, I can not enhance it. So here’s a evenly substantial and really nutritious salad-meal that can attraction to each sort of eater. Need extra? Add an 8-minute egg, halved. Or a slice of toast.

3 – 4 puntarelle spears 1 ripe avocado 1 Tablespoon lemon juice Salt Black pepper 2 Tablespoons additional virgin olive oil

Slit the puntarelle spears lengthways, twice (so every spear offers you 4 items). In a small bowl mix the avocado flesh with the lemon juice and mash with a fork till the combination is pretty {smooth}. Add some salt and stir nicely. Style. Extra salt? Spoon the avocado onto a plate and  unfold it out. Pile the puntarelle on high and season generously with a lot of freshly cracked black pepper and slightly extra salt. Lastly, drizzle the additional virgin olive oil excessive.

Dig in.

Don’t waste the extra pungent outer leaves of puntarelle. Uncooked, additionally they pair nicely with creamy avocado, and their bitterness is offset by the nuttiness of seed bread, evenly toasted to carry out the pure sweetness within the seeds.

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