Back in November when I went to San Francisco for the FoodBuzz Fest I had the opportunity to meet the wonderful people behind California Endive Farms. They happen to be the largest American producer of Endive {pronounced on-deeve}.
Whenever I say Endive I feel so fancy.
But don’t let that fool you into thinking that they are hard to work with. They are so versatile and can add so much elegance to a simple dish. I had a whole bunch of Thanksgiving leftovers in my fridge just begging to be used, and these delightful Endives played the main role in my quest for a simple dinner.
What is so wonderful about Endives is the different taste and texture you get when you roast them.
OH. EM. GEE.
They turned into a gloriously tender and aromatic roasted vegetable that closely resembled the texture and taste of a delicate artichoke heart.
Fill that with some roasted turkey breast, crumbled bacon, and some rich gruyere cheese and it’s an instant dinner success.
I originally made this as an appetizer, but after I devoured 3 “appetizer portions,” I dubbed it an entree.
California Endive sent me two of their Endive varieties to try. The California Pearl (green) and the Belles Rouges (red), both of which are grown in complete darkness.
Endives are actually an accidental vegetable. Apparently back in the winter of 1830 a Belgian farmer forgot about some chicory roots he had in his cool, dark cellar. He had planned to roast the roots and use them as a coffee substitute. Luckily he forgot about them and by early spring the roots had sprouted tender and tasty blanched shoots right out the top.
Now Endive is available all year and, like I said before, is delectable when roasted…. and of course with bacon too.
I bumped up the richness of this dish by using heavy cream drizzled over the roasted endives. If you’re starting resolutions early then you can sub out the cream for broth… but hey, it’s the holidays.
I say live and let live.
Layer on the goodness and memories of Thanksgiving.
Then cover it with a little butter.
…holidays…
Let all the goodness come together in the oven.
The gruyere cheese is incredible in this dish. It adds a slightly sweet and nutty flavor to compliment the smoky bacon and roasted turkey.
If you haven’t ever tried Endive or if you have never tried roasting it, then you must try this recipe.
It’s truly unique and full of wonderful flavors.
If you’ve had your fill of turkey, feel free to sub it out for some roasted chicken breast.
Turkey and Bacon Stuffed Endive
Ingredients
- 4-6 Endives, cored and cut in half
- 1 tbsp sugar
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup bacon, crumbles
- 1 cup roasted turkey breast, or chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup coarse bread crumbs, panko will work too
- 1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly spray a 9x13 in casserole dish with non stick spray and arrange the halved endive in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar and roll them around to coat, then season with salt and pepper.
- Cover the endives with a sheet of parchment paper, then foil, and bake until tender (35-40 minutes).
- Drizzle the heavy cream over the endives and then top with the turkey, bacon, gruyere cheese and then coarse bread crumbs. Scatter the small pieces of butter on top of the dish and bake, uncovered until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly (18-20 minutes).
- Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
disclaimer: California Endive graciously sent me a beautiful box full of Endive to play around with, and is compensating me for this recipe. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Holy Cow! That looks and sounds A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!
Dawn, this looks like an incredibly delicious savory treat! And so pretty, too! 🙂
These would make one for one delicious snack or appetizer to serve!
Ahhhhn-deeeve, have the most complex bitter flavor. It works so well here. GREG
Okay, now I need to add endives to my shopping list!
Oh girl, OH.EM.GEE. is right!! Fantastic!