CHICORY OR SONCINO ROOT GENTLY FRIED IN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC

I am on a total chicory trip, I knew that but I just realized that I really am on a chicory trip because not only do I have a craving for the green parts of the chicory, I also bought and prepared root chicory without knowing it belongs to the chicory family! During the winter months, Soncino roots are available and I always buy them at least once. They are slightly bitter but still sweet in a strange, nice way. Usually they are boiled and then served with a little lemon juice, some parsley and a good extra-virgin olive oilbut I prefer them cut into thin strips and then gently fried in olive oil with garlic and salt, simple but still complex flavours. And that little crunchiness that the frying adds just makes all the better. Now I doubt that you will get exactly Soncino roots as they are grown in Soncino in Lombardy but there are a lot of other types of chicory roots to try out! And you just wait, soon I’ll post about the greener parts of the chicory too!

CHICORY OR SONCINO ROOT GENTLY FRIED IN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC
2-3 servings

500 g/1,1 lb Soncino root or some other type of chicory root
2 cloves of garlic
salt
extra-virgin olive oil

- Peel the roots and then cut them into thin, julienne like, strips. I use my mandoline.
- Remove the outer skin from the cloves of garlic and squash them slightly so that they break.
- Heat up olive oil and garlic in a skillet and then add the chicory root. Fry on a rather low temperature until it is soft and a bit crispy. Add salt too.
- Serve.

Some recipes with chicory here on Lucullian, for more see the recipe index:

EGG WITH CHICORY AND TOMATOES
FAVA BEAN SOUP WITH CATALOGNA CHICORY AND WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

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