Description

Chicory ‘Catalogna Gigante di Chioggia’ is a perennial usually grown as an annual. It is sometimes called ‘dandelion greens’. The plants have large, upright leaves and thin stems.
Chicory is needed for the ‘bitter principle’ needed for optimum health which has been engineered out of modern food. Also essential for liver and the immune system. Use fresh and young in juices, or baked and caramelised in maple syrup.
To collect seed, cut the branches with seed heads when they turn brown and the flowers have no petals. Place upside down in a paper bag for a minimum of two weeks to dry thoroughly. Rub the stems between your hands or use a rolling pin to release the seeds; winnow as necessary.