Roasted Belgian Endive Food

PAN-ROASTED ENDIVE

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 halved heads endive cut-side down; season with salt. Cook until browned and softened, turning once, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer, turning to coat, until syrupy, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with chives.

ROASTED BELGIAN ENDIVE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425.
• Discard any of the endive's bruised or wilted outer leaves. Cut away a thin slice from the root end to remove the usually discolored surface portion of the stem. Wash the endive under cold running water, then shake off the moisture.
• Cut each head of endive in half lengthwise. Make a cut in the root end, cutting half as deep as the root is thick and running the cut from the bottom to where the leaves join the root.
• Place the endive on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until the endive is browned, and very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. (It's done when you can easily pierce the root end with a fork.) Serve hot or warm.

BRAISED BELGIAN ENDIVE

Steps:

• Trim off the root ends and remove any discolored outer leaves of: 4 Belgian endive.
• Cut in half lengthwise and season well with: Salt.
• Melt in a heavy-bottomed skillet: 2 tablespoons butter.
• Add the endive, cut side down, and cook over medium heat until nicely browned. This can be done in batches, adding more butter with each batch. The pan will brown, which is fine; just don't allow it to blacken. If it does, wash it out before adding the next batch. Place the endive, browned sides up, in a baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour in: About 1 cup chicken broth.
• The broth should be about 1/2 inch deep in the dish. Cover tightly and bake in a 400°F oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Check for doneness by probing the core with a sharp knife.
• Variations
• Wrap each endive half in a thin slice of pancetta or bacon before browning. Brown the wrapped endives on both sides, using more butter if necessary, and braise as above.
• Place the cut endives in a baking dish and pour in about 3/4 cup cream, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, brown, and bubbling.

BAKED BELGIAN ENDIVE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Place the endive stalks in a greased, shallow 1 1/2 quart oven proof cassserole dish. Dot with the butter. Sprinkle the endive with the sugar, salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours until soft. Any liquid remaining is to be discarded. Set endive aside.
• Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat (DO NOT burn!) Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.
• Increase oven heat to 350 degrees.
• Heat the reserved drippings on medium heat and add the flour. Stir until bubbling, but again, do not burn! Gradually pour in the half and half (or heavy cream.) Heat the mixture and stir for approximately 5 minutes until almost boiling and thickened. Pour the sauce over the endive.
• Chop up the bacon into little pieces and sprinkle over the endive along with the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
• Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until bubbling and lightly browned on top.

ROASTED BEETROOT (BEET), BLOOD ORANGE, RED WITLOF (BELGIAN ENDIVE) AND ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE OIL

Steps:

• To make the orange oil, reduce the citrus juices over medium heat until syrup-like then cool to room temperature. Whisk in or blend an equal amount of grapeseed oil and reserve.
• Meanwhile, roast the beetroot. Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Trim the stems of the beetroot, leaving 1/2 inch. Wrap the stems in foil and roast the beetroot in the oven for one hour. Allow to cool, then peel and cut each beetroot into 12 wedges.
• To make the walnut vinaigrette, whisk together the walnut oil and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To serve, toss the whitloof, frisee, and mache leaves in the walnut vinaigrette and place in the center of the plate. Arrange the beetroot, blood orange, asparagus and pine nuts over the greens. Drizzle with orange oil and serve.

SEARED BELGIAN ENDIVE WITH WALNUT GREMOLATA

Steps:

• To make the gremolata, mix together walnuts, parsley, lemon zest, fleur de sel and garlic, if using. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Place endive halves in the skillet, cut side down. They should not be touching one another. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cover pan loosely. Cook until golden brown on the cut side, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a platter or to individual plates, cut side up.
• Sprinkle a generous tablespoon of gremolata over each endive half. Drizzle with walnut oil and serve warm.