Braised Chicory

Any number of little vegetable stews, each worthy of being served as a course apart, can be created, singly or in combination, by sweating or braising the vegetables very gently with a little butter or olive oil, tightly covered, in their own juices. Some give less liquid than others and, with these, either a chiffonade of lettuce added at the beginning or a dash of water or white wine during cooking may be necessary to prevent them from frying and sticking. Sweated in butter, they can be f