Catalonian chicory

Description
There are two types of chicory plants of the same botanical species. One is a wild growing plant with blue flowers that grows everywhere and bears the name Potrošnik. Furthermore chicory is also a variety of radicchio called Catalan chicory. Both types have the same amount of nutrients and medicinal values. Wild chicory originates from Europe and grows on pastures, meadows, and at the side of the roads. The plant is a herbaceous perennial, erect and strongly branched. growing up to 1.5m high.The leaves are ground rosettes, slightly serrated. The stem leaves are lumpy. The flowers are blue,rarely pink, purple or white, growing from the stem they are combined basket-like shape. The Catalan chicory has strongly jagged leaves 20-25 cm in length and 4 to 6 cm wide and are of dark green colour. The stems are round and fleshy. It forms a rosette. We plant it from March to August covering it from May onwards, but it can survive the winters in warm environments.

Growth conditions and habitat
Potrošnik grows almost everywhere, they like dry soil and a lot of sunshine. The Catalan chicory grows well in medium to heavy, humid and rich soil. In the area of the Mediterranean, they can survive the winter, but elsewhere they must be in protected areas.

Culinary use
Chicory is a rich source of vitamins A, B and C, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium. It has a slightly bitter taste.The young leaves can be used until the beginning of flowering as raw or cooked ingredients combined  with garlic, eggs and olive oil.  The bitter taste indicates that the content is positively affecting the organism. This helps to strengthen the liver and gallbladder, stimulate digestion, clean urinary tract and blood. The bitter taste is caused by bitterness of intibin. Roasted roots of chicory, which we dig up  in late autumn are used as a coffee substitute. They were used extensively in times of crisis.

Sources:
Karin Greiner, Angelica Weber: Zelišča od A do Ž, Narava d.o.o. kranj, 2007
https://www.dnevnik.si/1042516609
http://zeleni-zabojček.si/za/katalonski-radič/cikorija/