Growing up I ate a green salad pretty much every night with dinner. In Italy, we did the same, though it was served at the end of the meal. These days, I find it hard to convince my other half to eat salad. My solution is to make main dish salads. This one uses Belgian endive and is easy to make for one or a group. It has many delicious things added to a base of endive and fennel, namely candied walnuts, fresh mozzarella and prosciutto.

Endive and fennel just seem to have a natural affinity for one another. Both are crisp, but fennel has a chewier  texture and a sweetness, while endive is lighter and juicier and has a slightly bitter edge. You could use them to make a simple side salad but this one has lots of goodies to make it a main dish. Use a Champagne vinaigrette or a Dijon mustard vinaigrette to dress it. Or even just lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

One of the tricks to this salad is that one thin slice of prosciutto pulled into shreds adds loads of flavor. If you have jamon de Bellota, by all means use it. That's what I originally used in this salad. Just be sure to add it at the very last minute. Make extra candied walnuts, they are terrific for snacking.

Endive Salad with Prosciutto
One serving

1 Belgian endive, sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh fennel
1/4 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1 slice prosciutto, shredded into about 5 thin strips
2 Tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
Vinaigrette

Make the candied walnuts by very gently heating the walnuts, sugar and salt in a non-stick skillet until the sugar melts and the walnuts toast. Swirl the pan so the sugar sticks to the nuts. Set aside and let cool while assembling the salad.

In a salad bowl toss the endive and fennel with a couple tablespoons of dressing. Place the salad on a plate and top with the mozzarella, walnuts and the prosciutto.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My thanks to California Endive Farms for providing me with a generous sample of endive to use. I also wrote about endive on Recipe.com. 

It's exhausting being a celebrity! Ok, maybe I'm not famous, but I felt like I was this weekend. On Saturday I spoke for about 45 minutes to a sold out crowd at the Larkspur Library, and then demonstrated four "no cook" recipes, including one adapted from New Flavors for Appetizers. On Sunday I was at the Palo Alto Williams Sonoma store signing copies of my book. We sold about 40 copies! It was fun chatting with customers and accepting compliments on the two recipes that were being sampled, Chilled Green Pea Soup and Dates Stuffed with Chorizo and Aged Goat Cheese. Both of those just happen to be "no cook" as well.

If you'd like to attend my next talk and cooking demonstration at the Larkspur Library it will be on April 4th from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. Tickets are $10 and include a donation to the Friends of the Library, tasting of four appetizers (plus the recipes), St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc and Bionade (non-alcoholic beverage). The recipes I'll be demonstrating are Fava Bean and Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Mint, Chevre Stuffed Apricots, Prosciutto Pear Bites and Endive with White Bean Dip. The event already is about halfway sold out, so call 415.927.5005 or stop by the library to reserve soon if you'd like to attend!

Here is just one of four "no cook" appetizers I demonstrated and served this past Saturday. It's endive topped with a dollop of white bean dip. Canned cannelini beans become very creamy when mashed. This recipe has an Italian flair to it, because the dominant flavors are lemon, garlic and olive oil. It also just happens to be vegan. I'm trying to include a few more vegan recipes in my repertoire.

READ MORE My post Go Vegan is up on KQED today. Let me know what you think of it and please add your tips in the comment section.

Endive with White Bean DipMakes 5 servings

Ingredients

1 15 oz can cannelini beans (I like the ones from Trader Joe's)
1 lemon, 2 Tablespoons juice, 1 teaspoon grated rind
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, stronger flavored the better
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 green onion
20 large or medium endive leaves, discard small ones
Flat leaf parsley to garnish

Instructions

Drain, rinse and mash the white beans in a mixing bowl using a potato masher. Add the lemon, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to the beans and stir to combine. Slice the white and pale green parts of the onion and fold into to the mixture. Taste for seasoning. Scoop one heaping teaspoonful or so on each endive leaf. Garnish with leaf of parsley.

Enjoy!