Plant ID; Blue flowered, edible? - Chicory

This popped up in the weedy aftermath of a patch of mesclun mix, and nowhere else.. perhaps it was a member of said mix?

Chicory! Yum. Very edible, and healthful. By the time it's flowering it will be quite bitter, and this puts some people off (others crave bitterness and will just keep on munching). You can let it seed and then look for the young plants, which form rosettes and make a good lettuce substitute. The roots can be dried and roasted for a coffee-like drink.

The seeds are very popular among the gold finches here, I love to watch them. I leave the stems all winter and the birds keep coming, the hollow stem is also a place for overwintering beneficial insects.

You could also chop off the stem (if you don't have much space in your garden beds) and dig out the root to let them grow as winter chicory.
I tried half-heartedly last year and could harvest two or three little heads, but as I have so many of the plants I could try again this winter.

digging the roots and growing it through the winter is a great idea. i assume the little 'chicons' you get are a smaller than standard witloof, but i have so many of these plants...hmm. food for thought for sure.