We love it… but we also fear it. Endive has this reputation for bitterness that even the most motivated cannot always soften. What if everything happened in the first minute of cooking?
Bitterness doesn’t go away on its own
We’ve all experienced this disappointment: we braise endives with love, we let them simmer gently, and when it’s time to taste… the bitterness dominates. However, this flavor is not inevitable. It needs to be worked on, it needs to be corrected, but above all, it needs to be anticipated.
One of the first gestures often forgotten is the denervation : remove the white cone located at the base of the endive, where the most bitterness is concentrated. Then it’s not enough to cook slowly. It’s necessary brown the endive in butter. This first caramelization will fix the natural sugars of the vegetable and create this tasty, almost sweet base, which transforms the entire dish.
Caramelization, slow cooking and good dosage
A good braised endive is a nicely browned endive, well seasoned, and slowly cooked. We start over medium heat, in a good piece of butter, and we let each side brown without rushing. Then, we add a touch of sugar or honeyjust enough to balance the bitters without masking their character.
Cooking continues over low heat, covered, sometimes with a little water or orange juice for a fruity touch. In 30 to 40 minutes, the endives become melting, pearly, almost candied. They have lost their aggressiveness, gained roundness… and definitely make you forget their bad reputation.
Recipe: Braised endives, tender and caramelized
For 4 people
Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
Ingredients :
- 6 endive
- 30 g the butter
- 1 tbsp. coffee of sucre or from Honey
- 100 ml d’eau or from jus d’orange
- Sel, pepper
Preparation :
1. Remove the outer leaves of the endives and dig at the base to remove the bitter core.
2. Melt the butter in a pan, add the endives and let them brown on all sides.
3. Sprinkle with sugar, pour in water or orange juice, cover and leave cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutesturning halfway through cooking.
4. Serve hot, with the reduced juice drizzled over the endives.
Also read:
Here are the vegetables to prepare in advance to save twice as much time in the kitchen
Our foolproof tips for removing bitterness from cooked endives
Journalist
A true cooking enthusiast, I see it above all as a moment of sharing, with family or friends, where I can give free rein to my creativity. In my opinion, …
