Vita Sementi Italian Seeds : Chicory : Cicoria Variegata de Castelfranco

Vegetable/Salad Vegetable

• Crops in : June to November

Description

A creamy green, blotched red leaf chicory forming a most decorative loose heart. Colour is more pronounced as cooler winter weather approaches. Chicory Cicoria Variegata de Castelfranco is late maturing with excellent winter hardiness. Boil leaves to remove bitterness, fresh leaves add zest to a mixed salad.

Culinary note: Some parts of these flowers are edible. For more details about edible flowers click here.

Sowing Instructions

Sow seeds thinly under protection in February to April for earliest harvest in summer, or May to August outdoors to harvest from October. Sow in rows, 13mm deep, 30cm between rows.

Can also be sown thickly under glass all year round for 'salad leaves'.

Growing Instructions

First thin the young seedlings to 10cm apart, then later to 25cm apart. Can also be left unthinned for 'salad leaves'.

Aftercare

At all times keep weed free and well watered. Mulching with black polythene or straw between rows conserves moisture and suppresses weeds. In late autumn and winter, when temperatures are low, the outer leaves will close together tightly to form heads and at the same time the colours will intensify.

Kitchen Notes

Serving suggestion - Chicory (or radicchio) leaves with penne pasta. Wash leaves and cut into strips, add to boiling salted water. When tender remove leaves and squeeze out water. Add pasta to the pan of boiling water. Sizzle garlic in a pan with a little olive oil, add chopped anchovies, add chicory leaves. When cooked drain pasta and mix together.