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Fresh wild chicory leaves with toothed, divided edges.

Wild chicory

Wild chicory, Cichorium intybus, is used as an edible leaf vegetable with a bitter character.

Plant
Cichorium intybus
Leaf flavour
Bitter

Try it in the kitchen

Puglia’s university-led food atlas documents fave bianche e cicorie, pairing wild chicory with white fava beans. Our suggestion: serve cooked chicory beside a smooth fava-bean purée with olive oil, keeping the two textures distinct.

An identified edible chicory

Buy wild chicory identified for food use and ask how the bunch should be prepared. The generic name does not establish one particular local selection or protected product; use the seller’s description to understand what you have.

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