Grilled Endives with Parmigiano-Reggiano
Endives have a great bitter-edge that is offset when grilled and served as an appetizer. Grilling wilts the leaves and changes the flavor to be earthy-charred versus bright and green. When the endives are served warm with a sherry wine vinegar dressing and topped with the infamous Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the combination is uniquely wonderful.
To clean remove the bruised leaves and cut a slice off the bottom of the endive to ensure it is also clean. Then cut the endives lengthwise in half.
Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet and place on high heat until the oil begins to smoke.
Place the cut-side down onto the hot skillet and leave for 2 minutes until they are charred. Then turn over to grill the backs for another minute. Remove and arrange on a plate.
To make dressing, mix together a tablespoon of olive oil with the sherry wine vinegar, add salt and pepper and whisk well. Taste the dressing, if the vinegar is too strong you may need to add a splash of water, then whisk again and drizzle on top of the endives.
Add the grated cheese on top and serve.
Rony Zibara
Editor-In-Chief and the gourmand-gourmet behind Poetry of Food; a food memoir which has been in preparation since he was a child. His earliest memories are in the kitchen with his mother cooking French and Lebanese dishes, and with his South American grandmother making Spanish dishes as the cook prepared a repertoire of salsas and sauces. Having grown up in Beirut and lived between Paris, Toronto and now New York, Rony’s food and travel experiences have always been part of his personal cuisine. An avid storyteller, he believes it’s not about the size of the catch, but about the day. It’s the experience, the setting, the people, and most importantly, the ingredients that turn the meal and the flavors into a memory. While not a professionally trained chef, Rony is a cook by all counts; his life revolves around the culinary joys of food, searching out new ingredients, new recipes, and new cultures. And while he loves the restaurant scene, he is not an obsessed follower. Rony’s food passions lie in the poetry of the everyday meal and not in the pursuit of the absolute ‘best’ or perfect meal. His extensive career in innovating and branding new products and experiences has been a great support and backdrop for his passions in food culture and is evident in the overall design and presentation of this food memoir.