Inexpensive, easy to prepare, endives are low in calories. They have diuretic and digestive properties and are rich in minerals. So, don’t ignore them and add them to your fresh produce shopping list! They are a very pleasant seasonal side dish in its various forms
Endive tarte tatin
These pies are a perfect side dish for fish, duck breasts as well as fresh scallops when in season. These will be quickly sauteed in salted butter, about 1 minute on each side, then glazed on high heat with the juice and zest one ugli fruit if any or of a tangerine. For 6 guests, I usually count 18 to 24 scallops, 50g butter, salt, and freshly ground pepper. When setting on the plates, I like to add a pinch of Espelette chili on the scallops not only for decoration but also to give it a twist.
Ingredients
- 8 small endives
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 puff pastry rolls
- 30 g butter
- 1 TBS honey + 6 tsp
- Salt, freshly ground pepper
- 6 small silicon pie moulds
Directions
- Step 1 Squeeze the juice from the lemon. Cut the endives in halves lengthwise and remove the core as it often tastes bitter and is usually harder than the leaves. In your frying pan, melt 30 g of butter and add 1 TBS of honey. Lay the endives on their flat side and evenly sprinkle the lemon juice on top. No need to cover, just add a dash water once in a while. Keep cooking, flipping them over regularly. That should take at least 20 minutes. Season to your taste, knowing that this preparation can actually be a little spicy with the black pepper.
- Step 2 Cut out 6 disks from the puff pastry dough, the size of the moulds. Lay the endives at the bottom of each tin, filling the mould entirely, press them in if necessary as they need to be compact. The endives should have become very tender after cooking. Add a tsp of honey, a TBS of the juice left in the pan and cover with the dough. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes on medium heat (180 to 200°). When done, turn the oven off and keep the pies in the oven covered with aluminium foil. When ready to serve, delicately flip them over, dough at the bottom, endives on top, and place on the plates.
Good to know!
