Italian Dandelion, Catalogna Chicory
A type of chicory that looks like a giant dandelion, but is milder, larger, and easier to grow. Often perennial. Makes a tall rosette of deeply serrated, dark green leaves with thick white stems. The stems are juicy and make an excellent cooked vegetable or crunchy salad item. The flavor is mildly bitter, but not as bitter as wild dandelions. Soaking in cold water also moderates the flavor. Great braised, as an accompaniment to savory dishes like sausage, cheese, and meat, or steamed and served Italian-style with oil, garlic, and lemon. As a salad green it's especially good with a piquant dressing.
In Italy, bitter greens like this are served with rich dishes and during the winter when meals tend to be heavy. They help the body digest fat and support liver function. In comparison to wild dandelions, this is much higher-yielding, and much easier to get started, with no long germination times or dormancy problems. It just sprouts like lettuce. It's not as hardy in very cold winters (zone 6+) or as totally perennial. It is, however, easy to get started again or to self-sow if you leave some to reseed. This is one of the backbones of my low-maintenance meadow garden. Its deep roots and tall stature make it more drought-tolerant and able to withstand weed competition better than other cultivated crops.