Chicory Rossa di Treviso

Rossa di Treviso brings both colour and flavour to your autumn and winter meals. The long, pointed leaves start off green and take on deep red tones as the weather cools. It has a lovely, slightly bitter flavour that mellows beautifully when cooked. You can also force this variety for slender chicons in late winter.

This variety is part of our naturally nurtured range, the seed comes from an organic source

SOW & GROW: from late June to July in modules or pots at a depth of 1cm. Germination can be erratic if sown direct. Transplant into moisture-retentive soil, 20–35cm apart, and keep well watered in dry spells. Light shade is tolerated.

To force for chicons: lift roots in late autumn and trim the leaves to 2.5cm above the crown. Cut off any wispy sideshoots, then cover the stumps with a ridge of light soil or sand. Add cloches to help bring them on. Depending on the weather, chicons should appear in late winter or early spring. There are other ways of forcing chicory too, so feel free to experiment and find what works best in your space.

EAT & ENJOY: shred raw into your salad mix or braise whole heads gently in butter for a milder, richer flavour.

RECIPE IDEA – Braised Chicory & Leek Gratin with Blue Cheese Crumb Topping

You’ll need:

We’re a bit approximate with quantities here – we just make what looks enough! (Sorry!!)

• ½ to 1 Rossa di Treviso per person
• ½ to 1 leek per person
• Breadcrumbs
• Blue cheese
• Fresh parsley
• Onion
• White wine & veg stock
• Lemon juice
• Optional: a little butter and a sprinkle of icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Blitz the bread crumbs, parsley and blue cheese – makes a green bread crumb mix (if you make too much, store in the fridge and use on top of another meal in the next few days!) 
3. Gently soften the leek and onion in a pan.
4. Cut the chicory in half lengthways, dust the cut side with icing sugar, and fry cut side down for 2–3 minutes to lightly caramelise.
5. Add the chicory to the leeks and onions (cut side up), cook a few more minutes, then transfer everything to an ovenproof dish.
6. Pour in just enough wine and stock to cover the base of the dish – don’t drown the veggies.
7. Spread the breadcrumb mix over the top, dot with extra lumps of blue cheese for extra melty loveliness, then splash with a bit of lemon juice (and a few shavings of butter if you fancy).
8. Bake for 10–15 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Not keen on blue cheese? Just use your favourite melty cheese instead – it still works a treat.