When we recently went to our local green grocer to pick up a head of frisée and couldn't find any, we were forced to do some on-the-spot improvisation. Hesitating only momentarily, we grabbed a head of locally-farmed escarole.
It had been a little while since we'd used escarole, but we knew it had the pleasant, not-too-bitter flavour that we were after, and provided the "tooth" that our dish called for.
(Technically, both frisée and escarole are very closely related members of the endive family)
While it fit the bill perfectly well for that evening's menu, we were also re-awakened to its unique versatility- its broader leaf gives a different eating experience to frisée, it's less messy if you're prone to flinging the vinaigrette around, and it's better suited to being immersed in hot liquids such as soups.
When your menu includes predominantly soft foods,
escarole is a beautiful green counterpoint, bringing a nice subtle crunch to the palate.
escarole is a beautiful green counterpoint, bringing a nice subtle crunch to the palate.
Case in point: after a long day and a late-ish arrival home last week we whipped up a cheese & mushroom omelet. (OK, since you asked: A Quebec Gouda-style soft cheese with lightly sautéed Shitaki mushrooms. Only two eggs so it's almost crepe-like in the pan. The combination of flavours is like poor man's truffles!)
Against the soft eggs the foil of the crisp yet almost waxy green with its slightly thick stalk and its mildly tart/ bitter flavour was perfect!
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