Fancy Endive Salad

If you are anywhere near Valle Crucis, NC and want to spoil yourself to a night of divine, gourmet food and a relaxing atmosphere, you must visit The Inn at Little Pond. Gay and Frank host a beautiful bed and breakfast as well as sponsor cooking classes for their guests and send you away with your own glorious recipes to make the same dinner at home.

The last time I went there, I learned I liked endive. Endive looks like a tasteless heart of iceburg lettuce, but in fact it is quite nutritious and tender. On the ultimate vegetable list, it scores a 307, above green leaf lettuce. The most appealing part of the salad was the vinegar and walnut oil salad dressing.

I like using the word "fancy" because it makes me feel like I can show up overpriced restaurants and still make a presentation worthy of my husband and important guests. This salad is a great, light appetizer for a fancy meal or even as a large side dish to a simple main course. This is also a great recipe to getting rid of the last of your lettuce, specialty cheese or apple sitting in your fruit basket.

Fancy Endive Salad

Salad:

1/4 cup hazelnuts, raw and unsalted

2 heads endive, chopped

1 apple, cored and sliced

2 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

coarse salt and pepper

7 tbsp walnut oil

Roast hazelnuts at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes. As soon as you smell them, take them out of the oven. Again, Trader Joes has the best selection of raw, unroasted nuts in bulk amounts at a discounted rate compared to other grocery stores. Once cool, chop nuts with a large knife.

Fill a bowl with water. Add sea salt. Sink chopped endive into bowl and let leaves rise to the top. This lets the dirt sink to the bottom. Pull leaves out of water, don't squeeze, and completely dry.

Whisk together salad dressing ingredients.

Combine endive and chopped apple. Slowly stir in dressing until produce is modestly coated. Serve salad topped with hazelnuts and cheese. You can use alternatives such as pear, romaine lettuce, baby spinach, blue cheese, walnuts, etc.