Frisee is chicory that is widely used for gourmet dishes. A frisee is a plant that is considered as exotic and looks like lettuce that has grown badly. It has very frizzy leaves and is often used as an added vegetable for green salads.

Frisee has a very bitter taste, and many people would even describe its taste as woody green. There are many individuals who cannot stand the taste of this exotic green plant, and there are others who love its bitterness.

Frisee became popular in the United States sometime in the 1990s as many cooks from different states used this plant for their different salads. It is mostly available in farmers’ markets as well as in upscale grocery stores.

More information about frisee

Frisee is often used in salad mixes and mesclun. Most cooks and individuals do not use frisee as the main ingredient of the salad since it is relatively expensive. Others also choose to mix this plant with other greens because its taste is very bitter and may not be palatable as a sole ingredient of a salad for many people.

Cooks and chefs make sure to expose frisee in the salad to give prominence to its wayward appearance.

Frisees initially look like lettuce while it is still growing. Frisee plants found in the US are small, but others say that frisees in other countries tend to be larger.

Those who grow frisees must be careful in protecting the said plant from sun damage as overexposure to sunlight can cause frisee to taste extremely bitter.

Those who wish to cook frisees should tear the plant rather than cut it with a knife. Just like with any other green plant, cooks must first wash this plant thoroughly before cooking. The frisee’s inner leaves are its most tender part.