To choose the appropriate endive, look for one that is hard, has tight leaves, and is extremely white. Endive is a close cousin of salads, but it's more commonly associated with bitter salads like escarole or curly kale. All of the types that we are familiar with produce white, compact endives. A purple variegated cultivar has been created by crossing an endive with a red chicory. Endives can be kept in the crisper of the refrigerator for up to 6 days if wrapped in absorbent paper for maximum preservation. They must be protected from light because they will turn green and develop their bitterness if exposed to it.