Tom Colicchios Braised Endive Recipes

Steps:

• In a large straight-sided skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add bay leaf, thyme, and endives. Stir to coat with oil. Add vinegar, wine, verjus, and enough water to cover. Season again with salt and pepper.
• Cover with parchment paper and then the lid. Simmer over medium-low heat until endives are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 50 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Halve endive lengthwise, and serve with some of the braising liquid.

Steps:

• To cook the endive, combine the butter, sugar, salt, and 10 1/2 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Add the endive, cover, and cook until very tender, about 45 minutes. A knife should be able to pierce through with no resistance. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the endive to paper towels. Reserve 1 1/4 cups cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the endive.
• Wrap each endive with slices of ham. Arrange the endive in a shallow baking dish that holds them snugly; you don't want any space between the endive.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until golden. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Continue whisking and add the milk, then the reserved endive cooking liquid in a slow, steady stream. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. Continue whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg and pepper.
• Pour the béchamel over the endive and spread to cover them evenly. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. If you want the top more browned and crusty, broil for a minute or two after baking. Serve hot.

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.