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Endive, a vegetable in the Chicory family, grown in Belgium under controlled conditions was discovered by chance, 200 years ago, by a Belgian villager. At that time, the root was used to prepare a drink similar to coffee. The plant itself was very bitter and inedible.
The villager stored chicory root in his dark, damp basement and produced a secondary whitish-yellow sprout that became Belgium’s national product, the Belgian endive. Today, most Belgian endives are grown hydroponically (not set in earth).
Belgian cuisine boasts a large variety of endive recipes, both fresh and cooked. Endive, a delicacy of European cuisine with a slightly bitter taste, blends well with sweet fruit and strong cheese. It is suitable for cold and hot salads, and can be used fresh, roasted or baked
