Endive season here we teach you everything about its times and when is the best season
Extending its popularity from Belgium, endives are part of the gastronomic culture par excellence of the Mediterranean area , its bitterness and its qualities to accompany winter and spring salads as well as the fact of having a season in these Christmas dates make them ideal to consume at this time. Able to offer you vitamin K (231 μg) for excellent blood coagulation and to build bones and soft tissues and ideal for the diet thanks to its low calorie content.
They also maintain doses of pantothenic acid in the form of vitamin B5 with 0.9 mg to break down fats into energy for a fully functioning human body. It is important to know that its cultivation is somewhat complex, since it needs 2 phases and to be underground or in a place where there is darkness and a controlled temperature. Then get to know in depth everything concerning the endive season and take advantage of them at their best.
The beginning of the endive season
As it is a sowing that needs darkness and cold temperatures, the appropriate season for endives begins in the fall , it can perfectly extend until the next summer months and could maintain a certain flexibility and slight variations depending on the different species and the territory where its cultivation is developed .
To be more precise endives are generally classified according to the cultivation system used, which is why a couple of varieties are cataloged:
- Endives not forced : This modality maintains a harvest in the autumn months and they do not need to be blanched to be consumed. The most common varieties of this type are the Cristal head endives and the famous Sugar Loaf.
- Forced endives : They produce buds throughout the winter season (from the roots that are in the dark). Within this group of endives are the varieties of Brussels, La Witloof, Normato and La Pax; all are compact and have an elongated shape.
It is advisable to consume them as soon as possible to guarantee freshness and optimal conditions related to their gastronomic quality , likewise to make the most of their vitamins , minerals and properties offered to consumers, remember that they can only withstand a maximum of one week in the refrigerator and like that most of the vegetables these begin to lose their virtues since they are harvested.
Endive and the process of its cultivation
The cultivation of this bitter vegetable is carried out in 2 perfectly well-defined phases: first, it is planted outdoors where it is allowed to maintain normal growth and where you must harvest its roots , these are then taken to a kind of chamber dark, heated underground where its leaves grow and develop, eventually separating the leaves from their roots. The development of this technique is attributed to the Belgians in the year 1830.
Endive itself is nothing more than the germination bud of the roots of this plant, which, when removed from sunlight, maintains an almost white color due to the lack of photosynthesis and the whiter it is, the less bitterness it will maintain.
- In its phase I, its sowing is carried out with the intention of obtaining its root : That is, this is carried out in the month of May and its purpose is the correct obtaining and formation of its root, obviously you will also obtain leaves in the surface, but they will be discarded because they will not be of interest (although you can use them for some delicious salads ).
- In phase II, the so-called forcing will be developed : It will be carried out in autumn and it is nothing more than changing the roots obtained in phase I and keeping them in a dark place and with a controlled temperature, in this way the growth of the buds, despite maintaining total darkness conditions as indicated, after approximately 30 days it will be possible to start obtaining endives as we know them.
How to choose the best endive specimens
You must select the freshest specimens, that lack bumps and bruises and that the color is as white as possible. The base of the endives is an excellent indicator of the general health of this food and should be as little deteriorated as possible (indicating its high quality and freshness ), in endives only the outer leaves have some color and it is generally a mixture of yellow and light green, although some may have pinkish garnet colorations.
The quality of the chosen specimens assures you of the best nutritional value that you can get from endives. Now that you know the season of this vegetable in depth, it is important that you discover everything that they can do for your health and nutrition . In addition to being ideal for these Christmas dates that are approaching and that effectively coincide with their harvest season .
