Endive Spears w/ Blue Cheese & Spiced Nuts


Ingredients

  • 2 cups blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1-2 tbsp light cream or milk
  • dash of Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 large heads Belgian endive
  • ¼ cup chopped Spiced Nuts*
  • honey for drizzling

For Toasting

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups pecans (walnuts or peanuts also work well)

To Finish

  • sea salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Special Equipment

  • food processor
  • pastry bag & star tip

How-to

Make Spiced Nuts (watch Barbara's "Spiced Nuts" video)

  1. In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute
  3. Add cayenne pepper, black pepper, sugar, sea salt and mix until ingredients are blended
  4. Add pecans and mix until pecans are well coated and start to brown just a bit, stirring constantly.  This should take about 2-3 minutes
  5. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly in the saucepan for  3-4 minutes
  6. Spread mixture out onto a cutting board while somewhat warm. Sprinkle with sea salt and sugar and mix together with hands. Transfer to a bowl and serve

Notes

  • Spiced Nuts can be stored for 2-3 days in an covered container
  • For a sweeter version, substitute cinnamon for garlic and cayenne pepper

Prepare Endive Spears w/ Blue Cheese

  1. Put blue cheese, 1 tbsp of light cream and Worcestershire in a food processor and mix until smooth. Add more light cream if necessary to get a consistency smooth enough to use in a piping bag
  2. Cut off the base of the endives and separate leaves. You will need to cut a little more from the base as you remove leaves. Use larger leaves to fill. Save the smaller leaves for a salad
  3. Place leaves in a decorative pattern on a serving tray
  4. Fit a pastry bag with a star tip and fill with cheese and cream mixture and pipe a small amount of cheese onto the thick end of the endive leaves
  5. Sprinkle each leaf with a small amount of chopped Spiced Nuts on top of cheese and drizzle with honey just prior to serving
  6. To enjoy, fold the cheese-free end of the endive leaf over onto the cheese for 2-3 bites of both a crunchy and creamy treat!