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Label Rouge — Nord-Pas-de-Calais
The chicon of the North, this ivory-white vegetable born of a Brussels misunderstanding, embodies peasant tenacity and the subterranean alchemy of dark cellars.
Vegetable from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Label Rouge since 2014.
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Legend attributes the discovery of the endive to Frans Bréziers, head gardener of the Jardin botanique de Bruxelles, who is said to have developed the technique around 1850 by placing wild chicory roots in a dark cellar. He developed its production, keeping it secret for a long time. After the First World War, this 'chicorée de Bruxelles', or witloof, superseded the Parisian ancestor of the endive, barbe de capucin, which had itself stemmed from a similar discovery made nearly two centuries earlier in Montreuil-sous-Bois.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais adopted this new crop and turned it into its traditional method. Sown in May, the chicory root is grown in open fields until harvest between September and the end of November, accumulating its reserves. The roots are then kept in cold storage before being replanted and covered with a layer of loose soil — the hallmark of the 'pleine terre' method, as opposed to forcing in water troughs — in heated rooms kept in darkness. This is where the magic happens: deprived of light, the root draws on its reserves to nourish young white leaves that are crunchy and slightly bitter.
In the 20th century, France became the world's leading producer of endives, with production concentrated at around 90% in Hauts-de-France. Yet the traditional soil-grown method almost vanished, supplanted by hydroponic endives — grown soillessly in water troughs —, which today account for virtually all commercialised volumes. Faced with this competition, growers remaining faithful to soil cultivation obtained Label Rouge no. LA 04-14 in December 2014, championed by the Association Endive de Pleine Terre based in Phalempin. The product specification, approved by decree on 10 April 2017, sets out three criteria that distinguish the product: contact with the soil, a distinctive crunch, and longer keeping quality.
Appearance
tightly packed leaves like the pages of a precious book, forming a chicon that is stockier and less elongated than a conventional hydroponic endive. Pure ivory-white colour with pale yellow tips, never greening. Smooth, glossy surface, slightly damp from the soil.
Aroma
fresh and vegetal, evocative of chicory root and the damp earth of forcing cellars.
Taste
a fine balance between bitterness and sweetness — a delicate, almost noble bitterness, without harshness. An aftertaste of gentle sweetness and a fresh note evoking chicory roots and spring water.
Texture
crunchy and firmer to the touch than an uncertified endive, born of controlled forcing in the soil. The leaf accumulates cellulose and minerals in a lightless environment, creating remarkable density.
The chicory root (Cichorium intybus, Witloof variety) is sown in May in the loamy soils of Nord-Pas-de-Calais.
Until autumn, the plant develops a powerful root system in open fields, laden with reserves.
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In salads, endive pairs perfectly with crushed walnuts, creamy Roquefort or Maroilles, and a walnut-oil vinaigrette. Baked in the oven as a gratin with béchamel and cheese, it becomes an essential family dish. Braised in beer or Chablis, it softens slightly while retaining its crunchy character. In soups, its leaves melt away, enriching the broth with a wonderful, subtle bitterness.
Since: 2014
Area covered: Nord-Pas-de-Calais (Hauts-de-France)
Key requirements: Three criteria selected by the INAO: contact with the soil, a distinctive crunch, and longer keeping quality. Grown directly in the ground (no troughs), approved varieties.
Approved in 2017.
The Label Rouge 'Endives de pleine terre' (LA no. 04-14) is held by the Association Endive de Pleine Terre, an ODG based in Phalempin. Since its approval in 2014, the number of producers practising this method has begun to rise again — fifteen new operations established in ten years, after years when no one ventured into soil-grown cultivation —, and the label provides the primary guarantee of origin for this vegetable, which holds neither PDO (AOP) nor PGI (IGP) status.
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