11 curly endive recipes

Sauteed curly endive with garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar piled over olive oil-tossed spaghetti. A quick vegetarian pasta with a bitter-sweet edge that keeps you coming back.

Spaghetti with sauteed curly endive, garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. A quick 30-minute Italian pasta with bitter greens and tangy-sweet dressing.

Italian rice and endive soup with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and basil. A light vegetarian meal ready in 45 minutes, simmered in vegetable stock with curly endive for a pleasantly bitter depth.

A dairy-free Greek spinach pie with homemade olive oil pastry, fresh spinach, curly endive, dill, scallions, and lemon zest. Traditional Lenten spanakopita, completely vegan.

Marinated mushroom and artichoke salad with tarragon vinegar dressing, chilled 24 hours and served on greens. Italian-style cold appetizer with sharp, herbal flavor.

Minty salmon salad with canned red Alaska salmon, fanned avocado halves, curly endive, and a cool cucumber-mint-yogurt dressing. A light, elegant no-cook main course.

A three-bean salad dressed in tangy molasses-mustard vinaigrette with celery, green onion, and torn curly endive. No-cook, make-ahead, and gets better the longer it marinates. Bring this to the cookout.

Low-fat bean and greens risotto with kidney beans, peppery arugula, and bitter radicchio in a creamy wine-broth-cooked rice base. A no-stir Italian-inspired dinner that skips the butter and oil.

Fall salad: crisp bitter greens with sweet sliced pears, toasted walnuts, and crumbled Gorgonzola in a walnut-oil vinaigrette. An elegant autumn salad balancing sweet, bitter, and savory.

Crisp steamed asparagus on baby lettuce with toasted hazelnuts and a tarragon-Dijon vinaigrette made with hazelnut oil. An elegant make-ahead salad or appetizer.

Roasted rack of lamb seared then oven-finished to a rosy medium-rare, served over greens with a fresh mint and balsamic vinaigrette. An elegant, restaurant-worthy main built on a simple pan sauce.