Endive
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Endive (Cichorium endiva) is a leaf vegetable used especially in salads. It is often confused with the closely related chicory.
There are three main varieties of endive: Belgian endive, curly endive and escarole.
Belgian endive (also known as French endive and witlof) has a small head of cream-coloured bitter leaves. It is grown completely underground to avoid the leaves turning green and opening up. This is extensive manual work, as the plant has to be kept just below the dirt surface as it grows, only showing the very tip of the leaves.
Curly endive (sometimes mistakenly called chicory in the United States) has green, rimmed, curly outer leaves. Curly endive is also know as fris�e.
Escarole has broad, pale green leaves and is less bitter than the other varieties.