ENDIVE
Endive doesn’t fly off the shelves, but we love it anyways. Whenever I’m craving endive, it makes me think I’m deficient in vitamins. Endive is in the same family as dandelions, and this family is packed with vitamins. The bitter taste can throw people off, but it does soften when tossed with honey and cooked ever-so-slightly.
STORAGE: Store in a closed container or in a plastic bag in the fridge. Keeping the greens closed off from the dry air in the fridge can make them last for longer than a week.
RECIPES:
Roasted Beet and Endive Salad w/ Sweet Vinaigrette
2-4 beets (root and what’s left of the stem trimmed, left whole)
head of endive (crown trimmed and cut into 1/2 in strips)
Heat oven to 425. Put whole beets in a roasting dish with a lid, or wrap in tin foil and roast. The idea is to steam them so they stay moist. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until a fork pierces the beets without resistance. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette below and cut the endive. Toss the endive in some of the vinaigrette. Taste it and add more if you want. When the beets are done, take out of the oven and let rest. After about 10-15 minutes, the skin should peel off really easy. Cut the beets into little bite sized pieces and toss them into the endive. Add more dressing and some salt.
Sweet Vinaigrette
1 c olive oil
1/2 c balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 T yogurt or mayo
2 T mustard (you can use any kind but dijon or brown is real nice)
3T maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
Blend with an immersion blender.
Roasted Broccoli and Endive Pasta
Head of broccoli (cut into florets)
Head of endive (cut into 1 inch strips from root to outer leaves)
Green Garlic (chopped finely)
Noodles
Sausage, cheese, or not!
2-3 T balsamic vinegar
1-2 T maple syrup
olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 F. In a mixing bowl, toss broccoli and green garlic in oil, adding salt to taste. Put veggies on a roasting pan and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until broccoli begins to brown and soften. When its just about done (we like it crispy) toss the endive in oil, balsamic, and maple syrup, and add to the top of the broccoli. Turn oven to broil on high and broil until endive starts to brown. Salt to taste and serve on top of noodles with cheese, sausage, or nuts.