• suomeksi

Vaimomatskuu ruokablogi

Ruokahullun päiväkirja - kaikenlaista nälkään ja janoon

  • HOME
  • About
    • Vaimomatskuu food blog
    • Evästelauseke
    • Tietosuojaseloste
  • Recipes
  • Food photography
  • suomeksi
  • in English

23.1.2022

Pan seared Belgian endives & “tasty things”

pan seared belgian endives

Belgian endives

Belgian endives are one of my favorite Autumn-Winter veggies! I buy Belgian endives a lot throughout their season, because they are a versatile and long lasting veggie to have around. I love to use them raw in salads, but I also add them to all kinds of soups and stews! Their pretty and firm leaves also make for a wonderful tiny serving dish for different kinds of yummy dips.

Pan seared Belgian endives are however my favorite! Searing the endives mellows their taste out and softens the texture. I usually add spoonfuls of hummus on top, followed by a generous amount of aromatic vegan mince. And most importantly: a handful of different tasty things, such as crispy caramelized onions, different nuts or seeds, fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds, green olives… The resulting dish has a truly addictive flavor and texture combination!

Jump to Recipe 

belgian endive

belgian endive recipe

Chicories and Endives

Endive (Cichorium endivia) is a leaf vegetable that belongs to the genus Cichorium (thank you Wikipedia). If you’re used to referring to the vegetable pictured above as “endive” you are however mistaken! Cichorium endivia looks totally different, because well, it’s a different plant. Yet, here in Finland it’s common to call this plant endiivi (endive), and based on my online search, it seems to be the same case in some English speaking countries. But not all.

Reading about the different plants within the cichorium family actually gets quite confusing very fast. The plant above is often referred to as simply an endive, but this variety of common chicory (Cichorium intybus) is really a Belgian endive. Or something else based on the region discussing it… Even here in Finland it’s usually referred to as endive (endiivi), although it’s really a “salad chicory” (salaattisikuri). So when I’m searching for “endive recipes”, I mainly end up finding recipes for Belgian endives. Which is not really and endive, but a chicory? Okay, I’m getting lost here and I don’t really know all that well what I’m talking about… So, please read more on this topic yourself for example at FoodPrint.org or The Spruce Eats!

pan seared endive

Entry level bitterness

Regardless of the confusing online naming and my lack of energy to better figure out the family tree of the cichorium, I love cooking with this plant! However, if you’re not familiar with it, it’s good to know what it tastes like before you buy it. Like all members of the cichorium, there’s a distinct bitterness present in this veggie. I used to pick out pieces of red radicchio or frisée from salad mixes, because their bitterness felt just too overpowering. Now I’ve grown to appreciate it however! The bitterness usually just needs to be balanced out with something rich and a pinch of salt. The bitterness of Belgian endives is on the mellow side: I call it “entry level bitterness”!  You can further mellow the endives out by cooking them, and trimming out the most bitter part: the root end.

When you’re picking out Belgian endives, keep in mind that the whiter the leaves, the less bitter the flavor. Belgian endives are in fact grown in the dark to prevent the leaves from turning green and bitter. This is why it’s also a good idea to protect them from light at home! When you store Belgian endives in the fridge (2-5°C) they stay good for days, up to a full week. Softer salads often wilt in our household by the time I get to them, so there’s a reason why I fill my fridge with Belgian endives despite the fact that they are a bit pricey. They store so well that they help me prevent food waste whilst having some leafy greens on my plate throughout the week.

“Tasty things”

Pan seared Belgian endives with “tasty things” is the name I’ve given to a recipe I’ve been cooking for a couple of years now. In fact, I’ve even taken pictures of this dish already three times! For some reason the photos always turn out bad. I never seem to photograph this dish with a clear vision or enough time to get one while shooting 😀 Thus, publishing this recipe has been postponed more than once. I’m not very keen on these photos either, but enough with the self criticism. It’s time to share the recipe already!

The combination of “tasty things” I’m referring to varies a bit. Usually there’s however some kind of plant based protein involved, which I often season with garam masala. I like to add in something sweet, salty, crunchy and fresh on top. This can be such things as raisins, olives, nuts, crispy onions, pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs! Sometimes I also add in crumbled feta. (Mö Meijeri makes a fantastic vegan feta from oats here in Finland, which I used in my previous recipe. The recipe featured Belgian endives too by the way!)

pan seared belgian endive

Regardless of what the “tasty things” turn out to be each time, I always serve the pan seared Belgian endives with some hummus! By changing up the flavor profile of the hummus, the whole dish gets to take on different directions. And I love each and every one of them!

Pan seared Belgian endives & "tasty things"

I love to serve pan seared Belgian endives with hummus and different tasty things: crispy onions, nuts, olives, pomegranate seeds... and some kind of plant-based protein!
Course Appetizer, first course, Lunch, Salad
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 4 people
Author Juulia
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Share by Email

Ingredients
 

  • 2-3 Belgian endives
  • c. 250 g vegan ground "beef"
  • 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • salt + freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp raisins (or dried cranberries)
  • 2 tbsp chopped pistachios (or toasted cashews, pecans, walnuts, almonds...)
  • 2-3 tbsp sliced green olives
  • c. 250 g hummus

To serve:

  • c. 1 dl pomegranate seeds
  • c. 1 dl crispy fried onions
  • chopped flat leaf parsley and/or mint (to taste)
Notes:
  • We often eat this as a lunch for the two of us, but you can also serve it to 4 people as an appetizer / first course.
  • I usually go for store bought hummus, but you can of course use your own!
  • I usually prefer to make big batches of crispy fried onions myself, but store bought stuff is my choice also with onions unless I have my own at hand. 
  • If you want to level up how filling this dish is, you can crumble some (vegan) feta on top!
  • I have used all kinds of plant based proteins in this dish (even grated tempeh), but any vegan "ground beef" is a good choice! The amount I use depends a bit on the package size, but is always somewhere between 200-300g. If the package size is 400g I usually brown the whole lot and use the leftovers in other dishes later on. Note: if the product is already seasoned, adjust the seasoning at home accordingly! I add the garam masala mainly to products that have no prior distinct flavor profile yet.

Instructions

Preparation:

  • If you're making your own crispy onions, prepare them first - store bought works well too and is of course the faster alternative. Remove the pomegranate seeds from the fruit - avoid getting any of the bitter white skins in to the mix! Pit and chop up the olives, roughly chop the pistachios (or other nuts). Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Trim off the bitter root end of the Belgian endives and half them lengthwise. (Note: trimming off too much will make the leaves fall off as you half the endives, so don't trim off more than a millimeter or two!)
  • Heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil and sautee the garlic until translucent and soft. Avoid getting color on the garlic at this point! Add in the vegan mince and brown it well (turn up the heat a bit!). Once you get a good color on the mince and some of the garlic, lower the heat and season the mince to taste with garam masala, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
  • Add in the raisins, nuts and olives. Remove the mixture from the pan and wipe the pan clean with a kitchen paper.
  • Add in a few more spoonfuls of oil and start searing the Belgian endives, cut side down. Leave them undistubed until they get a good color (a couple of minutes on medium high heat). Flip them over and sear for a few minutes more on the other side, so the endives are fully softened and hot all the way through.

Serving:

  • Spoon half of the hummus on 2-4 plates. Add the endives on top and evenly distribute the remaining hummus on top. Top off with the warm protein mixture, pomegranate seeds, crispy onions and fresh herbs. Serve immediately!

pan seared endives

seared endives

How do you like to prepare and use Belgian endives?

Aiheeseen liittyy

Filed Under: Recipes, Salad, vegetarian and vegan Tagged With: salad, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipes

Recent posts

  • Tteok and cheese – the ultimate comfort food fusion!
  • Nutritional yeast dressing with a fiery kick: love it!
  • Umeboshi salad dressing: new twist for a blood orange salad
  • Matcha noodles with matcha dressing
  • Homemade “umeshu”
Previous Post: « Watermelon & endive salad with vegan feta
Next Post: Mulled wine negroni »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Jotta sivuston käyttö olisi sinulle sujuvaa, käytämme kumppaniemme kanssa sivustolla evästeitä. Jatkamalla sivuston käyttöä, hyväksyt evästeet. Jos et hyväksy evästeitä, muuta selaimesi asetuksia. Lisätietoja evästekäytännöistä.

Jella Juulia

Hi! My name is Jella and I’m a Finnish food blogger, content creator and food photographer from Helsinki. Click here to read more about me!

Recent Posts

  • Tteok and cheese – the ultimate comfort food fusion!
  • Nutritional yeast dressing with a fiery kick: love it!
  • Umeboshi salad dressing: new twist for a blood orange salad
  • Matcha noodles with matcha dressing
  • Homemade “umeshu”

Most read

Shiso salt!

Instagram

Sesame marinated garlic scapes! = One of the nicer Sesame marinated garlic scapes! = One of the nicer things 🧄

Seesamimarinoitujen valkosipulin kukkavarsien ohje blogissa, mikäli jollakin olis näitä vielä omalla kasvimaalla pois napsittavina!

Ps. Other extremely nice things currently in my story 💕👯‍♀️🪻🏵️🐕🐇

#garlicscapes #valkosipulinkukkavarsi #skeippi #rehurakkaus #foodartproject #foodstylingandphotography #ofsimplethings
Always happy at Sake Bar & Izakaya ❤️ @sakebar Always happy at Sake Bar & Izakaya ❤️ @sakebar_helsinki

I'll be dreaming of that kaisen yukke, jimami dofu, katsuo no tataki and the mini hiyashi tantanmen for a looong time 😻 

PS. Spotted @sake_calling on the wall, heyyyyy 👋🏼

#myhelsinki #heleats #helsinkifood #helsinkirestaurants #supportyourlocal #sakebarizakaya #recenteats #ravintolavinkki #ravintolathelsinki #whatiate
Naatista asiaa vol 2 🫜 Kun seuraavan kerran ost Naatista asiaa vol 2 🫜 Kun seuraavan kerran ostat punajuuria, osta ne naatteineen ja käytä naatit vaikka munakkaaseen!

Naattimunakas = munakas, jossa hyödynnetään ihanien kesäjuuresten naatit.  Itse upotan tähän eniten punajuuren ja nauriin naatteja, mutta miksei sekaan sopisi myös porkkanan tupsut. Naattien lisäksi munakkaassa on nippusipulia, valkosipulia ja vegenakkia! (Ja sama onnistuu toki myös kikhernekkäänä)

Blogissa nyt asiaa naateista ja kuinka niitä hyödynnetään eri ruokakulttureissa, sekä tietty tämän naattimunakkaan ohje. Linkki juttuun profiilissa!

Syöttekö te naatteja?

×××

Omelette with beet greens, garlic scapes and veggie sausages 🫜

×××

#punajuuri #naattihaaste #munakas #punajuurennaatit #beetgreens #rehurakkaus #aamupala #reseptivinkki #whatiate #flatlayfood #foodstylingandphotography
Elämä on oopperaa! *Mainos / @savonlinnanooppera Elämä on oopperaa! *Mainos / @savonlinnanoopperajuhlat 🏰 Ensikertalaisena vinkit Savonlinnan oopperajuhlille:

× Älä stressaa vaatteista, pue päälle jotain mukavaa ja sään mukaista (erityisen tärkeää jos päällä puhisee Ulla-myrsky) - ekasta kuvasta varmaan jo näkee että en osaa pukeutua sään mukaisesti. Onneksi sain katsomossa lisälämmikettä (kuva 4)
× Tutustu oopperan juoneen käsiohjelman kanssa jo etukäteen niin voit keskittyä katsomaan ja kuuntelemaan esitystä rauhassa! Seinältä myös näkee käännökset siitä, mistä parhaillaan lauletaan.
× Lyöttäydy oopperatietäjien seuraan niin saat knoppitietoa niin oopperasta kuin siitäkin, mistä se naisten vessa oikein löytyikään. Ja tähän liittyen vielä suositus korkokenkiin kotiin jättämisestä - paikkahan kuitenkin on linna...
× Näytöstä ei saa kuvata, mutta kun esiintyjät tulevat kumartamaan, voi kamerankin kaivaa esiin. Meillä on kutsuvieraina hulppeat paikat aitiossa, jossa kaikui niin "Bravo" -huudot, kuin korviahuumaavat apolodit ja tömistyksetkin 👏🏼
×  Nauti huikean hienosta elämyksestä ja anna tunteiden viedä!! En tiedä oopperasta mitään, mutta tämän miljöön ainutlaatuisuus ja akustiikka on kyllä tahvonkin tajuttavissa. Macbeth oli kaltaiselleni synkkien ja syvien vesien sielulle juuri sopivan verinen ja dramaattinen. Huh huh huh!
× Jos oot menossa niin mulla on teille 20% alekoodi OOPPERA20 - siitä lisää tietoa mun stoorista tai laita DM!
× Muista nauttia myös Savonlinnasta! Tämä on varsinkin kirppishaukalle ihana kesämatkakohde. Oma lempparikohteeni on tässä kaupungissa on Linja-autoasema (kuva 11) jonka kakkoskerroksessa on iso kirppis, vanhalla juna-asemalla kannattaa myös käydä nuuskimassa löytöjä. Suosittelen lämpimästi myös visiittiä Riihisaaresta löytyvään nukkenäyttelyyn (kuva 13)

Syväluotaavampaa analyysiä näytöksestä kanssanauttijoiden @satu_koivisto @isyyspakkaus
@viena_k @hannahurtta @piapas tileillä! Kiitos matkaseurasta myös ihanin avec @pikkupia ❤️

*Kutsuvierastilaisuus, MacBeth ensi-ilta / liput ja tarjoilut saatu @savonlinnanoopperajuhlat @mellakkahelsinki

#savonlinnanoopperajuhlat #savonlinna #visitsavonlinna #visitfinland #kesäsuomi #kotimaanmatkailu #ooppera #olavinlinna
Follow on Instagram

Facebook

Facebook

Categories

  • Food photography
  • Recipes
    • Baking
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Meat
    • Pasta
    • Preserving
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Soups
    • Stocks and broths
    • vegetarian and vegan
  • Yleinen

Archives

Languages

  • suomeksi
  • in English

Copyright © 2025 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2025 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in