Food
Add Flair with Endive
B
oth white and red varieties make an immediate style
statement with minimal effort. Endive (say on-deev)
can help you keep a lid on calories, too. At only one
calorie per spear, endive is truly the “slimmer dipper,” a
more wholesome choice than crackers or salty chips.
A versatile vegetable developed in Belgium but now
California grown, endive can come to the table either hot or
cold.
Endive may have a glamorous aura but it’s a remarkably
practical choice: less expensive pound-for-pound than most
bagged salad mixes; longer lasting (up to 14 days if kept in
moist paper towels in a plastic bag); and all but effortless —
there’s no need to wash it or spin it dry. Its captivating bit-
tersweet flavor has made endive a complement to apples,
pears, nuts, smoked fish and roast meats.
Endive with Roasted Red
Pepper Feta Spread
Makes 1 1/3 cups spread, to serve 8
1/2
pound Greek or French feta, in small chunks
1/2
large roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and
sliced
1
clove garlic, thinly sliced
1
tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or more if need-
ed
2
dozen white and red endive spears for dipping
Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish
Kalamata olives, for garnish
Put feta, bell pepper and garlic in food processor and
blend, adding just as much olive oil as needed to make a
smooth puree. Transfer spread to serving platter or bowl
and surround with endive spears. Garnish with dill sprigs
and olives.
Endive and Beet Salad with
Candied Walnuts
Serves 4
3
medium red beets, greens removed
1
clove garlic, peeled and halved
1/4
cup red or white wine vinegar
1/4
cup water
candied walnuts:
2
tablespoons sugar
1/4
teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8
teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch salt
1
cup walnut halves or pieces
Dressing:
3
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1
shallot, minced
Salt and pepper
endive:
4
large endives, preferably 2 white and 2 red
Preheat oven to 400°F. Put beets in small baking dish with
garlic, wine vinegar and water. Cover with lid or aluminum
foil and bake until beets are tender when pierced, 45 to 60
minutes. Peel while warm. Let cool, then cut into small
cubes.
For walnuts: Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Line
baking sheet with parchment paper. In bowl, stir together
sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Bring small pot of water
to boil over high heat. Add walnuts and boil for 1 minute.
Drain in a sieve. While they are still slightly damp, add wal-
nuts to bowl with spiced sugar and stir to coat evenly.
Spread walnuts on parchment paper and bake until they are
fragrant and sugar has melted, about 15 minutes. Let cool
completely.
For dressing: In small bowl, whisk together oil, wine
vinegar, shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Add enough
dressing to beets to coat them lightly.
Slice endives crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces.
Discard ends. Put endive in bowl and toss with remaining
dressing. Arrange on serving platter. Scatter beets over
endives, then scatter candied walnuts over all. Serve imme-
diately.
For more ideas, visit www.endive.com.
Page 8 The Portland Skanner