Endive Salad
Last month in Paris, I enjoyed a simple endive salad made with whipped cream, of all things, at Des Gars. This popular bistro in the Marais offers delicious dishes often with a surprise twist such an unusual ingredient or an exotic spice.
When dinning out in France I normally order the day’s “menu” because it’s always fresh and reasonably priced. As the entrée (this is what the French call the first course) of the menu arrived for lunch at Des Gars, I was shocked to see a cloud-like layer of unsalted whipped cream floating on top of a colorful red and white endive salad. The guilt immediately set in. How could I enjoy a salad made with whipped cream when I was trying to watch my weight? Nonetheless, I ate it with reserved pleasure while cautiously pushing aside some of the whipped cream so as not to max out my prescribed daily calorie intake.
Low and behold, when I recreated this salad back in my own kitchen, I discovered something totally unexpected: heavy cream has considerably fewer calories than extra virgin olive oil! While both are high in calories, olive oil has 160% more calories than heavy cream. Put another way, heavy cream has 340 calories per 100 grams and olive oil has 884. (Spoiler alert: Heavy cream has more saturated fats and cholesterol than EVOO so pick your priorities.)
When you serve this super easy recipe, tell your guests not to stress out. Just relax and enjoy the salad’s attractive presentation and original topping. Additionally, should you have any leftover whipped cream dressing—as it includes chunks of salty Roquefort cheese, too—put it over your pasta for an instant sauce. I added crumbled bacon, too, to add another level of texture and taste to its deliciousness. Indescribably delicious, both the endive salad and the quick pasta sauce.
Ingredients:
¼ cup unsalted hazelnuts, each nut cut in half
6 endives (4 white, 2 red) washed, dried and cut into ½-inch slivers
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Roquefort cheese, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
¼ cup dried cranberries (or cherries cut in half as they are much larger than cranberries)
2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, destemmed, with leaves cut into tiny decorative pieces
Cooking instructions:
1. Roast hazelnuts in a 350° F oven for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool.
2. Cut endives into slivers, place in a small bowl, and gently mix the two colors together. Set aside.
3. To make the dressing, whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer or whisk in a chilled bowl. Be careful not to overwhip. The mixture should be the texture of a thinned mayonnaise. Add Roquefort cheese and continue to whip just a few seconds, long enough to integrate the cheese. You want to keep the texture of some of the chunks.
4. Divide endive slices equally on four chilled plates. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of dressing on top of the endive then top with hazelnuts and dried cranberries. Sprinkle parsley leaves to decorate the salad.
Serves: 4
Wine recommendations: While an easy choice would be a crisp, dry white, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or Grüner Veltliner—or even a sweet wine such as Sauternes or Barsac—a high acid red also works beautifully. Try a Beaujolais, Pinot Noir or Valpolicella. A Tempranillo for Spain or an American Zinfandel are also good choices to accompany this simple but delicious salad.