Endive And Goat Cheese Food

ENDIVE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Sauté 2 or 3 chopped shallots in butter until soft. Tear 4 heads Belgian endive into pieces and arrange on a large plate; top with 3 thinly sliced pears, drained shallots and 4 ounces goat cheese. Dressing variation: Use red-wine vinegar.

ENDIVE "SPOONS" WITH LEMON-HERB GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Using on/off turns, blend goat cheese, olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and lemon peel in food processor just until smooth and creamy. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Stir in chopped cilantro and chives. Season cheese mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) If desired, transfer cheese mixture to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip.
• Cut off and discard root ends of endive. Separate leaves. Cut cores, with some smaller leaves still attached, crosswise into thin strips. Toss sliced endive with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice in large bowl to coat. Arrange sliced endive on large platter. Pipe or spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese mixture at wide end of each endive leaf. Place 1 very small sprig cilantro and tomato slice atop each. Arrange leaves in concentric circles atop sliced endive. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

ENDIVE STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND SMOKED SALMON AND CHEESY CHICKEN BON-BONS

Steps:

• For the goat cheese filling: Mix the goat cheese, 1/2 cup of the cream cheese, the cream, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, vinegar, 2 tablespoons salt and pepper in the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until well blended and creamy. Remove half of the goat cheese filling to a separate bowl and add in the remaining 1/2 cup cream cheese. Set aside and chill for the cheesy chicken bon-bons.
• For the salmon stuffed endive: Add the salmon, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the dill and parsley to the first half of the goat cheese filling. Mix to combine well. Check the seasoning; you may want to add some salt or pepper but that will depend on the flavor your salmon has.
• Transfer the filling into a zip-top bag and cut the tip to make a medium opening, or use a pastry bag with a medium tip. The filling is dense so you need a larger opening to pipe it. You can also use a spoon to fill the endive but piping is faster. Pipe the mixture onto the tip of the endive. Keep the endive chilled until serving time.
• To serve, garnish with a bit of lemon zest, a sprinkle of toasted almonds and a bit of the salmon roe if using on top.
• For the chicken bon-bons: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the chicken thighs on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and roast for 10 minutes more (about 15 minutes per pound cooking time, depending on the size of the thighs. To check doneness, pierce the thigh in the thickest part; if the juices run clear, it is likely done). Set aside to cool. Remove the chicken from the bone and mince; not too fine, but not big chunks, either.
• While the chicken is cooling, mix the sour cream, parsley, chives, dill, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and a big pinch salt into the reserved goat cheese filling. Add the chopped chicken and chill again.
• Select 15 to 20 of the animal crackers for garnish. Put 2 cups of the remaining animal crackers into a food processor and pulse to make them into fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs onto a plate. Using a very small ice cream scoop (so you have consistent size), scoop the chicken mixture and roll into small balls. Roll in the crumbs and garnish with an animal cracker. Do this final step just before serving so the cracker crumbs don't get too damp.

ENDIVE SPEARS STUFFED WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream the goat cheese with the back of a kitchen spoon. Add the cream, rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives, and pepper and mix until smooth and creamy. Add more cream if the cheese is particularly thick. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
• Core the endive and separate into spears. Spoon the filling into 20 endive spears, filling each spear about halfway. Assemble on a plate and sprinkle with the paprika, if using. Cover and refrigerate.

ENDIVE WITH GOAT CHEESE, FIG AND HONEY-GLAZED PECANS

Steps:

• Toss pecan halves with 2 tbl honey, place on sheetpan and bake at 350 for 4 minutes.
• Stir and bake 4 minutes longer until shiny.
• Make 36 quenelles from goat cheese with demitasse spoons.
• Place port and remaining honey in saucepan, cook over low heat until reduced by half and is thick and syrupy.
• About 5 minutes.
• If using dried figs, reconstitute in 3 tbl warm water and 2 tbl port for 5 minutes.

ENDIVE AND APPLE SALAD WITH WARM GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of an oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
• In a small saucepan over high heat, reduce the pomegranate juice to about 1/4 cup (it should be syrupy), about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mash the goat cheese in a small bowl with a fork until smooth. Form the cheese into four 2-inch-diameter rounds. Put the hazelnuts on a small plate and press the goat cheese rounds into the nuts on all sides to coat. Transfer the cheese to a small baking sheet and bake until the nuts brown and the cheese softens, 8 to 10 minutes.
• While the goat cheese bakes, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the endives flat in the pan (they'll fit snugly), sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoons each salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side starts to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.
• Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in the skillet, add the apples and shallot, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoons salt and cook, shaking the pan often, until the apples start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the pomegranate juice to a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoons each salt and pepper; whisk until combined. Gradually whisk in the oil and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large bowl, toss the spinach and apples with half of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the endives on 4 large serving plates, top with a mound of the spinach mixture, and then the goat cheese. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds (if using) and the chives and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve.

ENDIVE STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine walnuts and 1 tblsp honey.
• spread on baking sheet coasted with cooking spray. Bake for 10 min, stirring after 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 Tblsp honey, vinegar, and organe juice in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced to 3 Tblsp.
• Fill each endive leaf with one orange section. Top each section with 1 tsp cheese and 1 tsp walnuts.
• Arrange on a plate. Drizzle vinegar mixture evenly over leaves, and sprinkle evenly with chives and pepper.

ENDIVE WITH ORANGES, ALMONDS, AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• For Roasted Garlic Viniagrette: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roast garlic in the olive oil in a small baking dish until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Transfer to blender. Add vinegar, shallots, salt, and pepper. Blend.
• To assemble: Set leaves on a platter or plate. Fill each leave with one or two orange segments, some goat cheese crumbles, almond slices, and salt.
• Drizzle with viniagrette and top with chives.
• Chill before serving or serve immediately.