Witloof Salad

Witloof was discovered rather by accident. Chicory was grown for its root which was used as a coffee substitute in Europe. One day in 1830 a Belgian farmer, Jan Lammers, returned from war and found his chicory, which he'd stored in a barn, had sprouted white leaves. He was captivated by its tangy, distinctive flavour.

It was another 30 years before endive, known as witloof, became a successful crop. In 1872 it was introduced in Paris, to rave reviews, so popular it was called white gold. It has been systematically cultivated since and is an important winter vegetable in Europe.

6 medium heads of witloof
2 apples (red skinned ones look nice)
1 green pepper
2 spring onions
4 mandarins, broken into segments

Separate the witloof leaves and use the larger ones to line a salad bowl.

Remove the cores from the apples, but leave the skin on. Dice and place in acidulated water for a few minutes to prevent browning. Slice the green pepper and finely chop the spring onion. Place the apple, pepper, onion and remaining witloof leaves in the bowl. Add the mandarin segments and pour over your favourite vinaigrette.

For a more substantial dish you can add a cup of diced ham or smoked chicken or some peeled shrimps to the salad.