Here's a plug for a not-so-sexy vegetable--and you have to admit that in a vegetable line-up, witloof is rather unappealing. Not only burdened with an unfortunate name, this insipid vegetable looks positively drab alongside red-hot beetroot and eye-catching greens.

It's takes a discerning chef to realise this under-rated vegetable's true potential and, surprise, it's increasingly appearing on the menus of top restaurants.You'll see witloof being tossed in salads, roasted with fine cuts of meat and caramelised in tarts. Des Harris from Auckland's Clooney has an interesting dish on the menu; the 'cigar' is a luxe combination of truffle honey (oh yes), fig and witloof salad. Also check out some of the dishes at Auckland's Cin Cin and White , Wellington's Logan Brown and Canterbury's Nor'Wester. 

And for all those consumers who will only plate up seasonal produce, witloof is just reaching its peak (season ends in October).

Paul Mercurio, dancing legend and now host of his own foodie show, Mercurio's Menu Sky's Food TV (starts August) is a big fan of witloof and he favours it laced with a beer (only the good stuff) and cheese sauce. It's basically a béchamel sauce done Aussie style with equal quantities of beer and milk. 

Witloof is a Dutch word which translates as white leaf, although naming rights around the globe are down right confusing. In New Zealand it's know as witloof, the British call it chicory and the French call it endive or Belgian endive. This pale conical variety of chicory is nothing like the species used to make a coffee substitute.

There's no doubting Witloof is an odd vegetable.Like a vampire retreating from the daylight, witloof is grown in complete darkness - which keeps encourages the growth of those strange conical pale leaves.

Eaten raw, witloof has a slightly bitter and nutty flavour - and it gets horribly bitter if you store in the light. Best tuck it away in a plastic bag in the fridge.