Mr. Baxevannis then serves the traditional fisherman's soup with a dollop of sea-green foam made with bitter wild chicory.

Broad bean purée with wild chicory is a typical Puglian dish in Italy.

Try the most emblematic Pugliese dish here - braised wild chicory with a puree of boiled dried fava beans, along with very more-ish contorni (side dishes) like patate casarecce (home-made thinly sliced fries).

Slightly smoky grilled baby artichokes, crisp-tender zucchini slices, wild chicory with the merest bitter edge, grilled peppers, tangy wild onions and intriguingly spicy wild turnip greens are some of the varieties priced from $9.95 to $12.

Antipasto selections include sauteed wild mushrooms with mozzarella and basil; calamari with seasoned tomatoes; and wild Italian chicory grilled with smoked mozzarella.

Out of sight and out of mind, it is often found in rural areas, keeping company with the likes of wild chicory, daisy fleabane and Queen Anne's lace.

Legend has it that this wild chicory was named blue sailors because a young maiden waited longingly by the roadside for her lover, who sailed away to sea and never returned.

It contains, for example, a story about the madwoman of Al Kabri, a reputed bone collector who actually searches for wild chicory.

Ms. Marracino's version is closer to the Apulian 'ncapriata, which is served with boiled wild chicory.

Log-a-Log chopped wild chicory with his sword and threw it in the pot.