Jeweled Endive Salad Food

ENDIVE AND AVOCADO SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a vinaigrette. Remove a 1/2-inch from the stem end of each endive, discard the core, and cut the rest across into 1-inch chunks. Cut the avocados into large dice or wedges. Toss the avocados and endive with the vinaigrette. Season, to taste, and serve at room temperature.
• Note: Haas avocados are the brown ones from California. The green ones don't have nearly as much flavor.

BEET AND ENDIVE SALAD WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, salt to taste, Dijon mustard and garlic until combined well. Whisk in the olive oil and the walnut oil. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and serve.

ENDIVE, AVOCADO, AND RED GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Cut peels, including pith, from grapefruit; discard. Working over a bowl to catch any juices, cut segments from membranes, letting them fall into bowl. Squeeze the remaining juice from membranes into bowl.
• Whisk together vinegar, honey, sour cream, salt, and 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice in a small bowl. Season with pepper. While whisking, add oil in a slow steady stream; whisk until emulsified.
• Halve endives lengthwise, and core; cut leaves into 1-inch-thick pieces. Toss with three-quarters of the dressing. Cut avocado into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Divide endive and avocado among four plates. Drizzle each serving with one-quarter of the remaining dressing. Divide grapefruit segments among plates.

ENDIVE SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Whisk together garlic and yogurt in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk together. Add blue cheese or Roquefort and Dijon mustard and whisk together until mixture is fairly smooth, with a few lumps of cheese.
• Trim away the very end of the endives and cut lengthwise into quarters. Arrange on a platter or on individual plates and spoon on dressing. Top with chives and finely diced apple, and serve.