Chicory

Inspired by classic Greek flavors, this warm salad is balanced with zesty lemon, tangy feta, tender salmon, and sweet spring vegetables.

This is spectacularly easy, quite mouthwatering, and works as both a first course before an entrée or as a side dish. Escarole is part of the chicory family and has a pleasant bitterness to it. Note that while the outer leaves of the escarole are not used in this preparation, they should not be discarded.

Roasted and sweetly caramelized cipolline onions balance a pleasantly bitter radicchio salad in this simple and elegant steak dinner.

Don’t toss out your Parmesan rind. Use it to flavor the beans and broth for this comforting classic.

Puntarelle is a crisp, spiky Italian green related to chicory. If you can get it, you’re in luck. If not, escarole is a great substitute.

Make this one-pan chicken dinner a go-to this winter.

Spicy tofu crumbles, pickled scallions, and roasted garlic chili sauce all come together in this noodle bowl. (Save leftovers to add to grain bowls all week long.)

This simple, light salad showcases the beauty of winter vegetables and makes an elegant start to a festive holiday meal.

Most people don't know escarole from escargot, but that's okay. Just know that escarole is a delicious leafy green vegetable that's high in vitamin C. Leeks, which resemble large scallions, have a slightly oniony flavor. Here, I've used both in a main-meal soup that is filling and nutritious. Try sprinkling a little smoked paprika over the soup before adding the cheese-it will give a sweet, smoky, slightly spicy flavor.

Bitter radicchio, spicy Italian sausage, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes make for a sophisticated pasta with very little effort.

The radicchio delivers nice color, but endive or escarole hearts would be smart substitutions flavorwise.

Fresh basil and pears team up for a winning combo of sweet fruit and herbal notes in this bright, crisp salad.

A mix of sweet, smoky, and pleasingly bitter notes gives this crisp, bright salad a modern flair.

The herbaceous and tangy blend of spices in za'atar lend a unique bright flavor to this colorful frisée salad that makes good use of shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, pistachios, and green grapes. 

Crunchy, bitter, acidic, juicy: If these words don't make you think of salad, this gorgeous dish is about to expand your vocabulary.

Even if you're not a huge fan of bitter greens, don't substitute regular lettuce here; the slightly sweet dressing will taste cloying without some sharp contrast.