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Season Ten, Episode Four. Classic Favorites

Endive Explorations

Take a closer look at endive and learn why this leafy vegetable has earned a place in salads and gourmet cuisine.

description for amiyah: a slim torpedo of endive with tightly furled pale cream leaves edged in soft yellow green, smooth and crisp with pointed tips.
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The Full Conversation

The complete script for this episode, with the two hosts, in eleven parts.

  1. Intro

    Amiyah: Hey guys, hope y'all having a good day. How is y'all today?
    Poke: Living the gold leaf life. You good, Amiyah?
    Amiyah: I am wonderful, so happy to be back with you all.
    Amiyah: All right, let's spin the wheel and see what we have today.
    Poke: boom. Endive!
    Amiyah: The wheel spun and stopped on endive, the slender, leafy vegetable with a gently bitter bite. The hosts explored a green that has earned a place in salads and fine cuisine.
    Poke: Endive. Honestly a solid spin. Let us dig in.

  2. History

    Amiyah: Let us go back in time. What is the story of endive?
    Poke: Endive belongs to the chicory family and has been enjoyed in Europe for centuries. One famous type was discovered when chicory roots were grown in the dark, producing pale, tender leaves.
    Amiyah: That tracks.
    Poke: That happy discovery in Belgium led to the crisp, elegant endive that is now prized in kitchens around the world.

  3. Fun Facts

    Amiyah: Time for the surprising tidbits.
    Poke: Belgian endive is grown in the dark to keep it pale and tender.
    Amiyah: Okay, that is so good to know.
    Poke: The leaves are shaped like little boats, perfect for filling.
    Amiyah: I did not know that at all.
    Poke: Endive has a mild bitterness that mellows when cooked.
    Amiyah: That tracks.
    Poke: It belongs to the same family as chicory and radicchio.

  4. Varieties

    Amiyah: Let us talk varieties. What is out there?
    Poke: Endive comes in a few related forms.
    Amiyah: I am listening.
    Poke: Belgian endive is pale, crisp, and gently bitter.
    Amiyah: Curly endive, also called frisee, has frilly green leaves.
    Poke: I did not know that at all.
    Amiyah: Escarole is a broad leaved cousin used in soups and salads.

  5. World Use

    Amiyah: Take me around the globe with this one.
    Poke: In Belgium, endive is braised and wrapped in savory dishes.
    Amiyah: Wait, really?
    Poke: In France, endive is a classic salad green.
    Amiyah: Okay, that is so good to know.
    Poke: In Italy, bitter chicory cousins are sauteed with garlic.
    Amiyah: I did not know that at all.
    Poke: Across the world, endive leaves are filled as elegant appetizers.

  6. Myth

    Amiyah: Let us bust a myth. What have we got?
    Poke: A lot of people think some think endive is too bitter to enjoy.
    Amiyah: Right, that makes sense.
    Poke: Here is the truth. Endive has only a gentle bitterness, and pairing it with sweet or creamy flavors, or cooking it, makes it pleasantly mild.

  7. Fan Question

    Poke: We have a Fan Question of the Week. Here it is.
    Poke: How do you use endive leaves?
    Amiyah: Ooh, good one.
    Amiyah: The sturdy boat shaped leaves are wonderful raw as scoops for dips and fillings, or you can braise or roast the whole head.

  8. Host Opinions

    Amiyah: Let me give you my honest, unvarnished opinion.
    Amiyah: Not my usual pick, but I respect it, and I would give it a fair shot.
    Poke: Bold words from someone who once tried to put pineapple on everything.
    Amiyah: Amiyah loves endive leaves filled with a bright, fresh topping.
    Poke: Poke prefers endive braised until soft and gently sweet.
    Poke: I mean, you are not wrong, but you are also very dramatic about it.

  9. Lightning Round

    Amiyah: Okay, quick facts, lightning round style.
    Amiyah: Belgian endive is grown without light.
    Poke: The leaves are naturally cup shaped.
    Amiyah: It pairs well with apples and nuts.
    Poke: Cooking tames its bitterness.

  10. Recap

    Amiyah: Quick recap before we cook.
    Poke: The hosts learned that endive is a crisp, gently bitter member of the chicory family, discovered in Belgium and prized in salads and gourmet cooking around the world.

  11. Recipe

    Amiyah: Time to head to the kitchen.
    Poke: Today we are making Simple Endive Salad. The full ingredients and steps are right below.
    Amiyah: Thanks for spinning with us. Spin It. Learn It. Love It.™

Recipe Segment

description for amiyah: a stylized illustration of Simple Endive Salad, plated on a gold rimmed dish with warm golden tones and a soft orange glow, set against a deep matte black velvet background.

Simple Endive Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 endives, leaves separated
  • A quarter cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt

Preparation

  1. Separate the endive into individual leaves.
  2. Arrange the leaves on a plate like little boats.
  3. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and salt together.
  4. Drizzle the dressing over the leaves.
  5. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve right away.

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