Sautéed Endive With Balsamic Butter
Published September 27, 2016
Rikki Snyder for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium-small heads Belgian endive, trimmed, halved vertically
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, in small pieces
Pinch of sugar
Coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh marjoram or oregano leaves
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)
4 grams carbs; 23 milligrams cholesterol; 124 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 12 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 147 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 1 gram sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add endive halves, cut side down, and sear on medium-high heat for a couple of minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown but still somewhat firm in the middle. Salt to taste, transfer to a serving dish and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Step 2
Simmer vinegar in a small saucepan for about a minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter bit by bit. Whisk in sugar and, if desired, some salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Drizzle some of the balsamic butter on endives, strew with marjoram and dust with pepper. Serve. Remaining balsamic butter can be refrigerated for future use.
Private Notes
Comments
Forget the endive and the herbs and maybe the other diner. Just stand there with a spoon and eat the basalmic butter out of the pan. This was unbelievably delicious. It would make almost anything taste better.
I prepare an almost identical dish with endive on the grill. Briefly microwave the endive (1/2 power for 1 minute), and then grill following rest of the recipe. The brief time in the microwave provides a more custard-like interior without burning the outer leaves. This also works very well with radicchio.
I've been reducing balsamic vinaigrette in various ways for many years, yet somehow I never came across the butter and balsamic combination. My life is changed from this day forward. I can even see this used for popcorn. Different herbs is a world I'd love to explore with this combination as well. On an endive note, I found that this saute approach leaves too much water that dilutes the sauce once you start cutting into the endives and eating them. Perhaps baking the endives first?
The "balsamic butter" was nothing special. Endives seemed bitter. The whole did not come together at all
I made some brown butter and used THAT for the butter-balsamic vinegar sauce. It was a wonderful change!
Do it like Carrie said…basalmic glaze and butter. That way you don’t have to reduce the vinaigre