Braised Belgian Endive
Submitted by Jake400
Belgian endive halves browned in butter until caramelized, then braised in chicken broth. A 30-minute European side dish with a bittersweet, nutty flavor and silky texture.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minBelgian endive is one of those vegetables that transforms completely when you apply heat.
Raw, it’s crisp and bitter. Braised in butter and broth, it turns silky, caramelized, and almost nutty, with just a whisper of that signature bitterness lingering at the edges.
This is a classic French technique that takes about 30 minutes from cutting board to table.
Halve the heads lengthwise, brown them in butter and oil until the outer leaves go golden and slightly charred, then let chicken broth simmer down into a glossy, concentrated sauce.
Serve these alongside roasted chicken, seared fish, or a good steak and watch people who swore they didn’t like endive reach for seconds.
Pro Tips
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Work in batches if needed so the endive browns instead of steams.
- Keep the core intact when halving. It holds the leaves together during browning and braising.
- A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything and balances the caramelized sweetness.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut each endive in half lengthwise and set aside.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove.
Add the endive in one layer and cook until the outer leaves are nicely browned, about 7 minutes.
Turn endives and brown the other side, about 4 minutes.
(Do this in two batches, if necessary.)
Add the broth, sprinkle with salt and cook until the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the endive and its juices to a serving platter.
Serve immediately.
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