Winter Citrus Salad With Belgian Endive Food

WINTER CITRUS SALAD WITH BELGIAN ENDIVE

Steps:

• Peel the citrus: With a serrated knife, cut off top and bottom of the fruit, so it sits solidly on the cutting board. Cut top to bottom following fruit's curve to remove peel and white pith. Slice the oranges and grapefruit horizontally into 1/8-inch rounds and place them in a bowl. Save the accumulated juice in the bowl for the vinaigrette.
• Make the vinaigrette: Combine the shallots with red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes, then whisk in the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the reserved citrus juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice the endives crosswise into 1-inch thick ribbons (but slice the dense core thinner) and place in the center of a salad plate.
• Surround the endive with citrus slices. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.

GORGONZOLA CREAM AND PROSCIUTTO ENDIVES

Steps:

• Stir together apple and vinegar in a small bowl; let stand for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim stems of endives and separate leaves, trimming stem as you go to easily and gently separate leaves. (You should have about 20 leaves.) Discard endive cores and very small leaves.
• Place cheese and half-and-half in a bowl. Mash with a fork to combine; stir with a spoon until very smooth.
• Drain apple; discard vinegar. Working with 1 endive leaf at a time, dollop about 1 teaspoon Gorgonzola cream near stem and spread toward tip of leaf to cover about three-quarters of leaf.
• Drape a piece of prosciutto on each endive leaf. Sprinkle with apple, almonds, and chives.

ENDIVE, ORANGE AND ROQUEFORT SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Cut the heads of endive in half lengthwise, remove the triangle of core at the base of each half so the leaves separate, and cut the leaves in half again lengthwise. Place in a large bowl. Drizzle the leaves with the vinaigrette and add the walnuts, Roquefort, and apple. Add the arugula and toss. Zest the orange into the salad with a strip zester. Peel the orange and remove the white pith around the orange with a small sharp knife. Cut the orange sections between the membranes and toss them on the salad. Discard the membranes. Sprinkle with salt and serve.