Endive Spears

Endive has been on my new-to-me food radar for awhile. Also referred to as escarole, the leafy vegetables has a good amount of vitamin A and folic acid (to name just a few benefits!). The Executive Chef at my work made a goat cheese, walnut, and endive salad last month that looked pretty amazing but salads just aren’t my thing. When I found a recipe that was both sweet and savory I knew I had to adapt it and make it my own!

Endive Spears with Sweet Potato and Turkey Bacon

(adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients

3 slices of turkey bacon, chopped

1 small sweet potato, diced

3 Tbsp. fresh, diced chives

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 medium heads of endive (to prep, rinse and remove crunchy ends, I left them on and used them as “handles” but didn’t eat that part)

3 Tbsp. goat cheese

dash of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Begin cooking turkey bacon in a nonstick skillet with olive oil ~3minutes

2. Add sweet potato and dash of salt and pepper to skillet. Cook for an additional ~6-8 minutes until turkey bacon is crisp.

3. Slice bottom 1/2 inch off the endive leaves (or leave them like I did for a handle) and break off individual leaves. You will have ~20.

4. Set leaves on a large platter and spoon sweet potato mixture into each leaf.

5. Add a dollop of goat cheese as well as a sprinkle chives to garnish

6. Serve and enjoy!

My thoughts?

I loved the sweet and salty flavors! Though the endive did have a slightly bitter taste I was surprised at how mild the flavor really was. It was a little more watery than I anticipated but not off putting. I don’t know that I’m ready for an endive salad but having it here and there I can definitely handle. Plus, these make the perfect appetizer that can easily be made veggie friendly by using tempeh bacon instead of turkey.

Have you ever tried endive?

Tagged as: endive with sweet potato and turkey bacon