If you grew up in an Italian or Greek family, chances are you ate escarole. Maybe you didn't love the way your mother or grandmother cooked it (boiled? yuck!) - but now you know better and can enjoy this delicious and incredibly healthy vegetable.Escarole is actually a member of the Endive family and its taste is similar to radicchio (at half the price!). High in folic acid, fiber, and vitamins A and K, escarole can be eaten raw or gently cooked. The darker outer leaves have a distinctly different taste than the inside paler leaves - and so it is almost like getting two veggies for the price of one!
Our favorite way of cooking escarole is to sautee it in olive oil (with garlic, scallions, leeks, onions, whatever you prefer) until it is cooked down and soft. We often add hot peppers and/or tomatoes (sometimes shrimp or tofu) and always add a little salt and pepper. We then toss it with some cooked pasta, using a cup or so of the pasta water to make a nice sauce. If we are feeling adventurous, we add some basil or pesto for a special treat.
Delicious! Nutritious! Make your grandmother proud!
Of course there are many other ways of preparing escarole. Include it in a salad. Add it to soup. Make escarole with white bean (a traditional favorite!). Check out our RECIPE page for some ideas.
We will have escarole at Farmers Market this Saturday. Please stop by and see us!
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