Catalogna sfusa

[lulu]

I have googled but I cannot find a translation from Italian to English for this vegetable that I found this morning in the shops.

It looks a bit like a long white stemed chard with a dandylionish leaf. There was a similar vegetable there called catalogna but with no sfusa after it.

My usual method of finding out how to cook new things (speak to fellow customer in produce section who looks like she would know!) revealed that I should cut the base off and steam or saute the leaves and that it might taste bitter. The other similar type she said you eat raw.

Does anyone here know what this vegetable could be called in English?

 

[lulu]

OK, I am kind of embarrassed because I am assuming that Catalonia is where they are from, (although is clearly labelled as being the name of veg) and having tasted the raw green bit it does taste like very big dandylion, so presumably it is exactly that: big tough dandylion for cooking...

(shakes head and has red face!)

 

[urmaniac13]

I did a search too but nothing came up... is it possible to post an image? I will try to ask around and see if he has any idea too...

 

[lulu]

Since when was "he" called "around", rofl!

No camera ATM Cannot even text you a piccy as apparently you have to do some strange activation thing on Italian sim cards to allow photo sending?????

 

[urmaniac13]

Since when was "he" called "around", rofl!

Actually I just thought this may not his type of vegetable, (he does have a few items that he does not like, really!), with exceptions of radicchio, cabbage and spinach in certain style, we are not very enthusiastic on cooked leafy vegetables.
So I thought if he doesn't know about it maybe I could ask Stefania, wife of his good friend Andrea. She is pretty into cooking and apparantly fond of this sort of vegetables, she always tries to feed us sauteed broccoletti (the leafy part of broccoli), boiled indiva etc. when we are invited for dinners...

 

[urmaniac13]

Okay, Cris said "Catalogna" is a type of chicory, can be used for salad but as you mentioned, it is a bit bitter therefore many people prefer them sauteed. BTW, the word "sfusa" has nothing to do with the name of the vegetable, it means "loose" or "unpacked"!! (I also just learned from Cris!!)

 

[lulu]

D'uh! Thanks! We had it last night and yes, it is very bitter. Its good though, we'll have it again....I sauteed it with garlic as advised.

 

[RDG]

Hi, lulu, how do yo do, in Milano?
Urmaniac has answered before me: Catalogna is a bitter vegetable....Good in pan, with garlic and salted anchovies, or covered with cheese.
And "sfusa"...yes: it means "unpacked". Wine "sfuso" is the wine of the restaurant, not in bottle.

 

[lulu]

Ciao RDG! e Grazie!