Please, treat Belgian endives better than that!

These veggies are grown in the dark, like white asparagus. In Belgium and Northern France, they are common vegetables to find on one’s plate, generally steamed, thoroughly cooked until looking translucent or about 20 minutes in the sauna pot. As they contain a high quantity of water, it is necessary to drain them well or let them drip head down in a colander before serving.

Endives are also used in creamy soups or braised. We seem to know their use in appetizers and salad, which has many different versions, including being served with fruits, sherbets and white cheese types.

Nevertheless, you will not be able to appreciate this delicacy if the endives are treated the way I see them being handled in about any stores in the US.  

Endives can become bitter if sprayed and most grocery stores are spraying about everything and anything that looks like a veggie, including plastic packed celery and carrots… or herbs… or roots!

Anyway for now, as this is another subject to write about separately, let’s remember that endives do not like to be sprayed, at all, not even a little bit. If you want to eat them uncooked, wipe them with a dry towel, paper or cloth, if necessary

The second element that makes these “white Gold” vegetables bitter is by exposing them to light.

When doing so, the leaf tip turn light green from light yellow and the leafs are gradually separating from the body. In Belgium, they are packed with dark purple wrapping paper and stay in the shipping boxes to keep them covered.

Here, whatever grocers will do with them, I guess it will take a long time to change bad habits. I end up calling the store to know the day they arrive and ask to keep my order separately. That way, they are kept in the best conditions, dry with tight leafs and very light yellow tips.

If you wish to cook them, cut the short stem off (could be 1/8^th of an inch), making sure you don’t release a leaf or another, just enough to remove the hard end. Using a pairing knife or a peeler, sculpt out a cone shape with the tip of your tool on about 1/2-inch deep from the bottom end.

I have one of the most scrumptious lip-licking recipes for you, making it a meal that you will remember for the rest of your life… but you will have to ask me if you want it... and provide me an email address!

Meanwhile, tell your grocer to treat Belgian endives better than that!