Endive recipe
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Total: 10 min Diners: 2
Although in Spain when we talk about salad the first thing that comes to mind is the mixed salad of tomato, lettuce and onion. Fortunately, in the world of salads there is much more variety and tastiness. When you prepare a salad at home it is key that it is fun, that it gets you out of the monotony and that it is succulent. The key to this, as in this endive salad, is to find a combination of ingredients that surprises and has several contrasts so that each bite is different from the other. The finishing touch, of course, will have to be a cheerful vinaigrette that blends in all the ingredients in a way that unifies the whole.
Use fruits in a salad always seems to me a good idea, especially if they are in season, although that characteristic sweetness will have to be counterbalanced with a powerful element of flavor with a strong iodized/saline touch, as in this case the combination plum-ham.
Then it can be built from more balsamic elements, from dairy elements such as cheese or also from crunchy elements such as some nuts or these croutons of today, made with sliced bread but which could also be made with traditional breadcrumbs. Both in the pan as proposed here for that reason of not having to turn on the oven but you get more uniformity in the toast if we dare and turn it on.
This same endive salad could be made with pomegranate when in season but also with roasted pumpkin or even carrots, which have a marked sweet tone. We could add quince jelly or caramelized pears with a little brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and also complement the endive with a little arugula that will give it a certain bitterness. The possibilities, as you can see, are endless.
Nutritional properties of escarole
According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation “Endive is a vegetable with low energy content, a point in common with the rest of the Vegetable Recipes, given its low content in energy nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats). Water is the predominant element in its composition. In it are dissolved appreciable quantities of vitamins C and of the group B emphasizing the folates (it covers 43% of the recommended intakes for men and women from 20 to 39 years old with moderate physical activity). It is the richest vegetable in this vitamin, by far with respect to the rest.
This food also contains other active ingredients such as flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and apigenin) and phenolic compounds such as caffeic and ferulic acids.
Among the minerals, potassium stands out. Potassium is a mineral that contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and muscles.
On the other hand, the leaves of endive contain bitter principles, such as intibin, which stimulate appetite, promote digestion and increase the activity of the gallbladder.”
How to make endive, plums and ham salad
5 photos
Escarole, plums and ham salad, a recipe to surprise
Clara Villalón
Ingredients
Endive, 1/2 u Medium-sized black plums, 2 u Sliced bread, 2 slices Iberian ham, 60 g Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon
For the vinaigrette
Black plum or red fruit jam, 2 tablespoons Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Raspberry vinegar, 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons Salt, c/s Black pepper, c/s
Step 1
The first thing we will leave done will be the croutons. To do this we will cut the sliced bread into squares and sauté them in a frying pan over a high heat with the olive oil, stirring constantly so that they brown as evenly as possible. Add the thyme and a little salt and black pepper and set aside when they are crispy and golden brown.
Step 2
Chop the ham into small squares, of the best possible quality as it will be tastier later. The squares should be neither too small nor too large, set aside.
Step 3
Wash the plums and cut them into wedges, the easiest way is to cut them in half, remove the stone and then cut them. If we wanted we could sauté them a little over high heat with butter, but that would only be a “plus”, we can use them perfectly fresh.
Step 4
Wash the endive very well and chop it and mix it with the plums, chopped ham and croutons.
Step 5
Mix all the ingredients of the vinaigrette and drizzle over the salad. Add salt and enjoy.
