Working with Escarole

Escarole is a leafy green in the chicory family with a pleasant, mild bitterness that many home cooks find off-putting at first. The good news is that bitterness is easy to manage. Grilling or sauteing escarole over high heat reduces bitterness by caramelizing the natural sugars and breaking down the cell structure, while adding a lovely smokiness. Blanching briefly in boiling salted water, then shocking in ice water, also pulls out much of the bitter compounds. The inner pale yellow leaves are naturally milder and work well raw in salads. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice is the finishing touch that balances escarole beautifully in any preparation.