March 10, 2015

Antipasto Salad Endive Boats

Name: Antipasto Salad Endive Boats
Prep time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 package (5 ounces) Stella Fontinella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes; 1/2 medium cucumber, cut into ½-inch pieces; 4 ounces hard salami, cut into ½-inch pieces; 4 ounces quartered and marinated artichoke hearts, drained; 1/2 cup assorted pitted olives; 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved; 2 tablespoons capers, drained; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 3 heads Belgian endive

Have you tried cooking with endive at home? It’s a leafy green that, believe it or not, belongs to the daisy family. I see it occasionally in restaurants, but don’t often see home cooks using it. Belgian endive can be found in most larger grocery stores. It kind of looks like a very small, very tight, white and yellow head of Romaine lettuce. While it can certainly be chopped up to add a bitter accent to a mixed green salad, the boat shape of the leaves practically screams “throw a party!” and “fill me with something fun and colorful!”

Being the Italian-grandma-at-heart that I am, no party is complete without antipasto (a selection of cured meats, cheese, olives and complementary vegetables). Here, instead of a formally arranged antipasto platter, I’ve tossed it all together to use as a filling for endive leaves.

You can use whatever types of antipasto elements you like best for this appetizer. I included salami, marinated artichoke hearts, colorful olives, and lots of other goodies. Choosing a great cheese is important for these Antipasto Salad Endive Boats, so I went with Stella Fontinella® cheese, which is delicately sweet and creamy smooth, with just a hint of sharpness (Fontinella is also my cheese of choice for my Corn Casserole with Cheese).

Yield: Serves 8 as an appetizer