Witloofs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A variety of chicory cultivated for its pale, tightly packed heads used as a vegetable ; a culinary plant grown in darkened conditions to produce tender edible leaves ; a type of endive appreciated for its crisp texture and slightly bitter taste
2. A cultivated leafy vegetable known for its blanched, compact heads consumed in salads or cooked dishes ; a form of chicory developed by depriving it of light to yield mild, white leaves ; a garden plant whose blanched shoots are harvested as a winter vegetable
3. A type of chicory grown in the absence of light to form edible, pale heads valued in European cuisine ; a vegetable variety with smooth, creamy leaves suitable for salads or baking ; a plant prized for its delicate bitterness and tightly folded heads used in cooking

Etymology: "Witloofs" is the plural of "witloof", a word borrowed from Dutch, where it combines "wit" (white) and "loof" (leaf). The name describes the vegetable's appearance: the plant is grown in darkness so that its leaves stay pale and tightly packed, and the Dutch name points to that bleached, whitish colour. The plural simply counts separate heads or servings of the vegetable, so a grower might sell several witloofs at a market, each one a compact bundle of blanched leaves.

Synonyms: chicons, Belgian endives