I’ve always been picky about my salads. I will eat a salad only if it is spicy, crunchy, and made with some peanut butter dressing :). Well, it changed.
I was invited to a clothing boutique opening a few winters ago. That’s when I fell in love with these endive boats after avoiding it for about 20 minutes. As we walked in, our coats were taken. The wine was served and the conversations were on full swing, when a very prim and proper server walked by us bringing these beautiful salad boats. I excused myself politely to walk across to the left of the room where the cocktails and desserts were. After a few minutes, the guy comes again with this beautifully arranged platter of these boats, and I picked out a boat just to be nice to the guy. He smiled because I had been avoiding him for at least 20 minutes. I stalked him for the next 15; I am sure I would’ve eaten at least 10.
They were so crunchy. The marinade was a perfect touch of sweet, tanginess, and spice. Yes, of course, the foodie in me begged to ask the caterer for the recipe. Before I could get hold of my server, the show started and I got seated and forgot about it.
Shortly after, I came home and dreamt of making them that weekend. The weekend came, my ingredients were ready, and the dressing was made. I wasn’t happy at first, but after four tries and four small bottles later, it was perfect and even better than the one I ate at the event.
This has become one of my favorite go-to salads for parties, and everyone seems to love them. Entertaining should be fun, easy, and stress free and while you focus on the bird and pies, this salad is a cinch to make. Hope you get to try it out this holiday season.
The sophisticated marble platter can be found at www.zgallerie.com. You can find this and more in their store and online at www.zgallerie.com.
Have a great weekend my friends.
- Endive - 3 Washed and cleaned.
- Beet -1/2 very thinly sliced into matchsticks
- Pear- 1 thinly sliced
- Fennel-1/2 thinly sliced
- Carrot - 1 thinly sliced
- Blue cheese (optional)
- toasted black and white sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ⅓ tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp reduced sodium light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt flakes
- Freshly ground pepper
- Mix the marinade very well and add the vegetables and pear except the beet. Keep 2 tbsp of the marinade for the beet and mix separately.
- Let it marinate for atleast 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Arrange the endive leaves and add the vegetables and beet. Top with some cheese and some sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Z Gallerie for sponsoring this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
These looks simply, healthy and delicious Ash!:) The beets are raw in this recipe? Or have you boiled them first? We’re asking because we never had a raw beet before:)
Thank you for a beautiful salad!
xoxoxo
I love these flavors and as usual your presentation is stunning. I’m very excited…I have just about everything I need to make this, will need to scoot out for only endive and fennel. Thanks for the lovely idea!
These Endive boats are simply gorgeous, Asha, and they have BEETS in them!!! 🙂 And, I’m not surprised your final version tasted better than the one you had at the show!
Hun, when there’s beets, I always think of you. You really need to have a Beet Cookbook. I’ll promote, not that you will need that. It will be super popular.
xoxo
These salad boats look so very refreshing, crunchy and delicious!
Thanks my dear.
We are on the same wavelength! I have an endive recipe coming next week, but the filling is definitely different. 🙂 I love endive — they’re so fresh and crispy, and are a nice alternative to salad. The carrots and beets in that dressing sound delicious!
I saw yours and I love it. Endives are the best starters right?! So perfect, crispy and mess free. Thanks Marcie. I’m loving all your Thanksgiving posts. So perfect.
What a beautifully dressed salad, Asha!
And, such a sweet story ?
I agree, salad has to taste perfect with yummm, zesty dressing. Everything looks and sounds perfectly fabulous!
Thanks so so much dear. xoxo
These endive boats look super cool and I bet they taste delicious with the dressing you had used on it!!
Thanks so so much girlfriend.
xx
Such a gorgeous canape Ash! I can imagine the crunch as you take a bite! 😀
Thanks so much my dear.
Asha – congrats on your Z gallerie gig! You go girl !! Love the endives. I love to use them as boats for appetizers when my whole family gets together. NExt time I am definitely going to try this recipe!!
Thank you my dearest. You are awesome. Aren’t endives the best vehicles for anything?!
I need to try your apple tart:).
Those little endive boats look so pretty! And I’ll bet the flavor is amazing. Always funny when something we expect to be meh turns out really good. Fun post — thanks.
Isn’t it?! I was blown away by how good, fresh it tasted. Thanks so much John for stopping by.
xo
I want to have a party just so I can serve these babies! It definitely looks good enough to stalk someone for the recipe. And if you skip the cheese, it’s totally vegan friendly.
xx Yasmin
http://banglesandbungalows.com
Oh yes, it’s vegan and healthy, fancy too. You really need to throw a party. ;).
xoxo
I love party bites like these using endive. It’s such a nice fresh crunch and great balance to go with other, richer foods we tend to eat during the holidays. The endive boats look even nicer sitting on top of that lovely platter! Great presentation.
Thank you so so much my dear. You are absolutely right about the freshness aspect.
Happy Week lovely.
What a colorful, pretty appetizer… a must for parties and holiday tables. Wishing you and your family a fabulous Thanksgiving, Asha!
Asha this sounds perfect for holiday entertaining! I have been wanting to give endive a try but always feel scared! Thanks for the inspiration girl!! Looks AH-mazing!!
Absolutely gorgeous Asha! Love the pretty colors and the simplicity of this:)
Loving these endive boats, Asha! I am a salad fiend. I will eat nearly anything salad and if it is a nice, fresh, crunchy salad with a tangy dressing, I am in heaven! Bliss. Thank you for sharing, my friend. Enjoy the rest of your week! xo
I love my salads to be as colourful as these! Encased in an endive boat takes it to a different level. These are pretty and just perfect for any get-together. I love the platter too…it’s made for your lovely salad!
Yes to the crunch of endive. Have you published a peanut salad dressing? I’ll go look. GREG
Greg,I don’t have a peanut butter dressing on the blog as yet. So many posts hanging out in my mind and paper.
Have a great day.
Hi ! We put up a list of the TOP 100 best Christmas recipes for 2015. Your recipe was also included on this list. Go check it out at: http://ohmydish.com/100-best-christmas-recipes-2015/ Greetings, Veronique and Marco from ohmydish.com
Oh wow, I am so thankful to you. I cannot wait to see it and share on Pinterest, that’s too kind of you.