Frisee

Frisee is a type of chicory that has become popular on gourmet plates. The exotic plant resembles a lettuce gone awry, with a pale green explosion of frizzy leaves that adds a frisky note to green salads. Frisee was popularized in the United States in the 1990s by chefs across the country, who integrated the green into a wide variety of salads, and it has since become available in many upscale grocers and at some farmers' markets.

A small amount of Frisee’s distinctive flavor can go a long way. Frisee is generally served in loose chunks in salad to highlight its exotic feathered appearance. This is another one of those foods with confusing differences between British and American names. In Britain it is called endive and in America chicory or curly endive - to add to the confusion, in France it is “chicoree frisee” - curly chicory.

Storing and Cooking

If you plan to keep frisee for a few days, first rinse it in cold water and shake it before putting it into the vegetable crisper, in a fairly large open bag or wrapped in a damp cloth. Tightly closed packaging does not allow the lettuce to breathe and will make it rot. Be sure that air can circulate around the leaves.Frisée lettuce is fragile and will not tolerate freezing.Do not dress it until just before serving, since vinegar will make it wilt.

When cooking with frisee, always tear it rather than using a knife. Frisee, like other greens, should be washed before consumption. Remember that the inner leaves are the most tender and can be used in more abundance than the tougher outer leaves. Because frisee can brown or yellow, cut it shortly before use and dress it directly before bringing it to the table so that it doesn't discolor or become waterlogged.

Frisee is a spicy addition to green salads, or it can be served in more complex gourmet salads, starring with walnut vinaigrette and other bitter greens.

Nothing is better than a dose of bitter greens as a cleansing spring tonic. If you're in a "blue" mood: Place lettuce leaves on individual salad plates. Crumble blue cheese over them and sprinkle with green onion. Drizzle over a vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Or with goat cheese: Crumble some chèvre on your salad. Garnish with red onion and slivers of garlic. Dress with olive oil, lime juice and honey. Or try the following combinations:

Country style - with bacon bits, croutons and garlic. For a light meal, add a hard-boiled egg.

Autumn salad - frisée lettuce, beets, apples, walnuts.

Maritime - frisée lettuce, fennel, pollack, and vinaigrette whisked with a little fish stock.