People are often attracted to the shape and color of Belgian Endive Spears, yet when it comes time to prepare them, they’re stumped about the best way to enjoy them. The structure of endive spears makes them a perfect transport mechanism for any kind of dip or filling.
Endive Spears with Herbed Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
This recipe works great as an appetizer or snack. The natural bitterness of endive is balanced with the sweet creaminess of soft cheese and saltiness of sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives. Not a bad way to get your bitters.
Ingredients
– 12 good-sized individual endive leaves, about 3 endive spears
– 1 cup ricotta, mascarpone, chevre, or homemade cashew cheese (recipe follows)*
– 1 1/2 teaspoons minced thyme
– 1 1/2 teaspoons minced chives
– 3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
– 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
– 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
– Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Procedure
ProcedureSeparate the individual endive leaves from the spears and lay out on a serving plate. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the cashew cheese with the thyme, chives, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with the kalamata olives and parsley.
Spoon a tablespoon of herbed cashew cheese into the base of each endive spear and top with a heaping teaspoon of tapenade. Enjoy!
Cashew Cheese
To make cashew cheese, blend the following ingredients in a food processor or blender until completely smooth:
– 1 ½ cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours, drained and rinsed
– 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
– 1 tablespoons white miso
– ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Alternatively, for a low fat-version of this recipe, substitute the cheese with mashed cannellini beans.
Originally posted 2018-07-03 10:07:21.
