Usually, when I mistakenly buy something at the grocery store, I will know what to do with it.
Too many mushrooms? No problem! A strange-looking squash? DONE! An extra package of bacon? Is this really a problem?
A first for me happened the other day though. I mentioned yesterday that I accidentally bought one bunch of escarole for my dish, and one bunch of curly endive. I know my third grade teacher could tell me that I definitely read the tags too quickly, didn’t fully process what they said, and acted impulsively by putting the incorrect greens in my cart.
But alas, I’m now stuck with a HUGE bunch of curly endive.
It’s certainly beautiful; a vibrant green that’s unseasonable for right now when deeper greens and reds are in around. The leaves are quite textured, which makes me think they’d be good in salads for texture. But alas, I don’t like curly endive raw. It’s quite bitter for my taste, and I’m starting to think I need to cook it.
But here’s my problem. With the exception of creamed spinach and yesterday’s Utica greens, I’m inexperienced in the cooking of greens. I don’t know what to do, how to do it, or how to season them!
So here’s where you come in. I need an endive recipe, and I need you to give me one! I need to take this beautiful bunch of greens…
…and make it into something edible and preferably delicious. Ok, never mind. It has to be both edible AND delicious. It can be a recipe you’ve tried and liked from somewhere else, or one you’ve made up on your own, as long as it’ll be tasty.
Where’s the contest part? Well, I’ll be choosing one of the recipes to make before the endive in my fridge wilts, and I’ll choose said recipe with the help of Adam (since he’ll eat it too). The winning recipe will be cooked and photographed and posted, and the poster of that recipe will receive a brand new, bright and shiny (well, dark and not so shiny) 15″ Lodge Cast Iron Skillet!
I’ll have it shipped directly to your door. U.S. & Canada entries only please. The Lodge company is not paying me in any way to do this giveaway; I simply LOVE our cast iron skillet and want to share the love, so I’m buying the skillet with my own money and sending it your way. Think of it as a little thank you for sticking with me through the past almost three years of this little blog.
So, get those recipes coming!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t have specific recipes but I have suggestions, does that count? I would make a soup with it. Either something similar to Italian Wedding Soup or perhaps a minestrone?
Andrea´s last [type] ..Cider and Beer Brined Chops
I do this with any greens…. Holy YUM!!
Bacon, coarsely chopped (use as much or as little as you want)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound head curly endive, rinsed, leaves torn coarsely
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), drained well
1/3 cup canned beef broth
Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pot and sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add half of endive with water still clinging to leaves. Cover pot and cook until endive is wilted, stirring once, about 4 minutes. Add remaining half of endive and chopped garlic. Cover and cook until endive leaves are wilted but still bright green, stirring once, about 4 minutes. Add cannellini, beef broth, and bacon. Cook bean mixture until heated through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Wilted-Curly-Endive
I basically do a version of this with all sorts of greens – spinach, kale, etc!
jen´s last [type] ..true confession tuesday: 10.4.11
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/curly-endive-prosciutto-and-mozzarella-on-bruschetta-recipe/index.html
and this just looks yummy!!
jen´s last [type] ..true confession tuesday: 10.4.11
Since escarole and endive can be used interchangeably … Try this: http://jaimecooks.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/bacon-watercress-salad/
Jaime´s last [type] ..Meal Plan – October 1st – October 7th
I find that sauteeing escarole with white beans and bacon does take away a lot of the bitterness and make this fairly often with any type of greens.
Though,for something a little more special and creative, i like to add escarole to a risotto as follows:
1 e head of escarole,rinse and chopped
1/2 cup diced onion
2 minced garlic cloves
pancetta, 2 generous slices
arborio rice ( rice to make risotto) , enough to yield 6 1/2 cup servings, approx.
home made chicken stock, approx 6 cups
white wine, 1/2 cup -optional ( to add to rice)
parmigiano cheese, 1 cup
toasted pine nuts, approx. 1/2 cup for garnish
optional: gorgonzola instead of the parmigiano reggiano.
( both work very well, though the gorgonzola gives the risotto a much stronger finish!)
Sautee the pancetta with onion and garlic until browned.
Remove from pan.
Add escarole and sautee with 2-3 tablespoons of chicken stock until wilted and cooked. Add salt/pepper to taste.
In the meantime, cook the risotto according to instructions.
Making sure to add broth as necessary during cooking process!
Add no more than 1 cup of broth to risotto at a time , and continue stirring until absorbed- repeat until rice is cooked.
Add the escarole/ pancetta mix to the risotto, and stir throughly.
finish by adding the parmigiano . or gorgonzola.
top with freshly toasted pine nuts.
buon appetito!
Hope you enjoy!
I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and LOVED it. It tastes better the next day! Nice Fall/Winter soup recipe (and you can use up some of those extra mushrooms you have, too!).
Thanks and happy eating!
Jackie
Mushroom and Endive Soup
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
3 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups chicken broth
5 cups chopped endive
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 cups plain yogurt
Tarragon to taste
Directions
1. Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, 1/2 cup of cilantro, and mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Pour in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in the endive and remaining cilantro. Add the milk, and simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat. Season with cayenne pepper to taste.
3. Place the yogurt in a separate pan or bowl, and gradually ladle in about 2 cups of the hot broth while stirring constantly. Stir this mixture back into the main soup pot, and remove from heat. If this procedure is not followed, the yogurt will break down into little bits. It will still taste good, but does not look the same. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with additional fresh cilantro.
I’ve made this recipe to accompany lemon chicken and tomato orzo. It’s simple and quick!
Caramelized Endive -
1 ounce butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 heads endive, sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Make sure to not burn the garlic or shallots.
Add the endive to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. If your butter is already salted, adjust accordingly. Cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat, until endive is tender. Taste and season with more S&P if needed.
Hope you enjoy it – if not this time then another time you find endive lurking in your fridge
I would recommend using it as a vegetable dip, much the same way spinach dip is prepared. Wilt the endive by sauteeing in a small amount of olive oil and garlic; spritz with lemon; chop finely; and mix with mayo and/or sour cream and Neufchatel cream cheese; add some chopped water chestnuts for a little crunch. Salt and white pepper to taste!
In parts of Gemany, endive is enjoyed this way: Cut the endive into strips and let then soak in water for a bit to take out the bitterness. Meanwhile prepare mashed potatoes and fry up some chopped ham or lean bacon. Then mix everything together!! The endive will slighly wilt from the heat.
If you are couragious, dress the endive with some vinegar before mixing it with the mashed potatoes.
I have never actually tried it myself but now that I wrote it down I think I might need to go and get some endive
PS: I love your blog and am inspired by your recent weightloss. Keep it up, you’re doing sooo great!
This was adapted from a recipe from epicurious, from 5 or so years ago. The original called for chicken and walnuts. I thought the endive was better suited to something stronger (especially since I find it bitter) It’s kind of a steak house style recipe.
1 pound pasta such as cavatelli, ziti, penne or shell pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, halved, sliced crosswise
1 lb beef (like sirloin steak), cut into bite sized cubes
Salt & Pepper or Montreal Steak Seasoning
4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 head of curly endive, trimmed, very coarsely chopped (about 12 cups)
1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese (such as Maytag; about 9 ounces)
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper or Montreal Steak seasoning; add to skillet with rosemary and sauté until beef is almost cooked to desired doneness. Add endive; toss until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.
Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add beef mixture, blue cheese, and enough pasta cooking liquid to moisten; toss to blend. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to large bowl
Rhonda´s last [type] ..Cheese Head Beer Soup with Macaroni
I have to say too that I would suggest utilizing it as a vegetable dip, much the same way spinach dip is ready. Wilt the endive by sauteeing in a small amount of essential olive oil and garlic; spritz with lemon; chop finely; and mix with mayo and/or sour cream and Neufchatel cream cheese; add some chopped water chestnuts for any little crunch. Salt and white pepper to taste!
Ann´s last [type] ..How to Keep a Man Interested
I loooove endive salad, especially with a yummy runny egg. This is a great recipe for Curly Endive Salad with Bacon and Poached Eggs that I’ve used before
The croutons add a great crunch, and the salad looks fancy, but is so easy to throw together!
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/curly-endive-salad-with-bacon-and-poached-eggs
Pasta with chicken, curly endive, and bleu cheese
Cook 1 pound cavatelli shaped pasta until tender.
In a skillet, saute 1 large, sliced red onion in 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat for 4 minutes until softened.
Sprinkle 4 boneless chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add to skillet along with 4 tsp. fresh rosemary. Saute until chicken is almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add 1 head of chopped curly endive and saute 1 minute until wilted.
Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta liquid. Return pasta to pot and add in chicken mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 cups crumbled bleu cheese and enough pasta liquid to moisten mixture. Toss to blend and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 3/4 cup coarsely chopped, toasted walnute.
My mom loves greens like that. She usually cooks some bacon, adds a touch of vinegar, puts the greens in a pan with the bacon and wilts them, then pours in a scrambled egg & when its done, the dish is ready. However, I don’t have her exact amounts. Here is another recipe using the bacon and the egg though.
1/2 pound bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 bunches curly endive, torn (about 12 cups)
3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Directions
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute the onion in the drippings until tender. Add the sugar, cornstarch, salt and vinegar; stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat.
Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to the pan; stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
In a large salad bowl, combine the endive, hard-cooked eggs and reserved bacon. Add desired amount of warm dressing; toss to coat. Refrigerate leftover dressing. Yield: 10-12 servings.
Good luck. I really don’t like endive because of the bitterness.
OMG, I am such a ditz! I totally forgot about us getting together at the lucky monk!! So sorry Mara – things have been crazy at work – I’ll send you an email – my boss is going to be out of the office the last week of October – maybe we can meet then?
Hugs!
Biz´s last [type] ..I wish I could figure out my body.
I found this recipe online a while ago…can’t remember where it was from, but I found it to be a really nice, healthy recipe that kept me full. I would add some crumbled bacon, perhaps goat cheese (these two things should be added to everything if you ask me!). If you made a big enough portion for yourself, it could really be a stand-alone meal. Good for lunch. Add some grilled salmon or chicken on top! You can have it hot or cold.
Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup water
1 head endive, chopped
1/8 red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Bring the brown rice and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover the saucepan and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Throw in endive just before the rice is done cooking (about a minute or so, just to wilt the endive).
Place the rice/endive mix in a large bowl, add red onion. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and olive oil on top, and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Alexandra´s last [type] ..YAYYYY!!!