BEHR Gemüsegarten: Products

Chicory

Chicory, or Belgian endive, is a member of the Asteraceae family and is closely related to radicchio and escarole. It originally comes from Europe, where it has been cultivated for centuries.

The production of chicory takes place in two separate stages. First, cultivation takes place outdoors in order to obtain suitable roots; then in the second stage, the actual chicory sprouts are extracted from the roots by forcing. As a result, the cultivation of chicory differs significantly from that of other vegetables and salads.

From mid-May, the chicory seeds are sown in the field. Until autumn, the plants are left to grow and form a taproot up to 1 m long. The leaves are chopped off at harvest time and only the roots are harvested. The roots are then stored at -2 °C until needed. Depending on requirements, the stored roots are defrosted and then taken to be forced. They are placed in special forcing boxes, which are equipped with an inlet and overflow for the nutrient solution. The forcing boxes can be stacked on top of each other so that the nutrient solution can evenly supply the roots with the necessary nutrients through all the boxes. The temperature and composition of the nutrient solution is continuously monitored and can be adapted to the exact needs of the sprouting chicory. Forcing takes place in complete darkness so that the forced chicory plant does not turn green, which would make it unsuitable for sale. After about three weeks, the chicory is ready for harvest. The roots with shoot are harvested manually and then the shoot is separated from the root. The chicory is now ready for packaging and further transport. Forcing means that production can take place regardless of the outside conditions and so chicory is available all year round.

Chicory has crunchy leaves and a characteristic, slightly bitter taste. The tips of the leaves are more delicate and less harsh than the parts of the leaves near the stem. As chicory grows in the dark, its leaves are snow-white, only the shoot tips and the side edges of the leaves are yellowish in colour.

Cultivation and harvesting

Our chicory grows near the Baltic Sea coast of Mecklenburg (Mecklenburg-West Pomerania).

Moderate temperatures are required for the roots to grow outdoors. The subsequent forcing phase, on the other hand, takes place in controlled, dark and cool conditions in a protected hall.

Chicory seeds are sown on raised beds so that the soil can warm up as well as possible and the root has optimal conditions to develop. This also makes the subsequent digging up process easier.

Special harvesters, similar to those used in potato harvesting, are used to harvest the roots, because the first 15 cm of the root from which the plant grows should not be damaged under any circumstances. Later on, the harvesting of the leaf shoots is carried out manually.

Preparation and freshness tips

Chicory is very easy to prepare. The outer leaves may need to be removed and, if you prefer a less bitter taste, you can also cut out the bitter core at the base of the stem before preparing it. Then wash and cut into rings as desired or use the leaves whole.

This is an extremely versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed raw in salads, steamed, fried or baked in hot dishes.

Chicory should always be stored in a cool and dark place to preserve its quality and avoid any post-ripening. Ideally, the chicory should be stored in its original packaging in the vegetable compartment of the fridge.