The season of bitter leaves
From November to March the market is full of radicchio, endive and chicory: bitter, crisp and better than any summer salad.
When the tomatoes go, the bitter leaves arrive. Radicchio in deep red, white endive grown in the dark, curly chicory: they are at their best in the cold months, and we put them on the menu every day.
How we use them
Raw, torn and dressed at the last moment with something sweet beside them: pear, roasted beetroot, a little honey in the dressing. Cooked, they soften and turn nutty: endive braised in butter goes with the duck.
Buying them
Pick heads that feel heavy for their size, with tight leaves and no brown edges. They keep a week in the fridge, wrapped in a damp cloth.