I was delighted to see "Belgian endive," also known as chicory (not the coffee additive of the same name), in a local supermarket. It's a welcome addition to our winter selection of fresh vegetables. Belgian endive is elegant and delicious in a salad, either as the main green or with lettuce, or as a bed for a chicken salad, or braised in butter. Choose the smooth, pale green endive. The outer leaves may be slightly wilted but should not be brown. They should not need washing unless dirty or buggy. If you trim the root end, use a stainless knife to avoid discoloration. -Helen Whiting

Ingredients

1 endive
1/4 cup walnuts
Optional: orange

Dressing
5 parts olive oil
1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper

or

5 parts walnut oil
1 part red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Either separate the endive into individual leaves or cut into one-inch pieces. Mix with the walnuts and dress just before serving. Orange slices are a nice addition. With a sharp knife, cut down to the fruit at the top and bottom ends of an orange; then cut away all the peel and pith around the outside. Slice thinly and add to the salad just before the dressing.

Reprinted from In Helen's Kitchen: A Philosophy of Food, by Helen Hudson Whiting, with the permission of Regulator Books.