Belgian endive is one of my favorite winter vegetables and these Belgian Endive Boats with Beet Pesto, Persimmons, and Crispy Sage are even more delicious than they look! Similar to radicchio, Belgian endive has a mildly bitter taste, which is part of its appeal. I always love pairing different tastes (our 5 tastes are bitter, sweet, sour, salty and umami) with each other. They not only complement each other well, but combining them also tends to leave you more satisfied.
The sweetness of the beet pesto beautifully complements the endive’s slight bitterness. If you’re short on fruit, these little boats are just as lovely topped simply with the beet pesto (or a small piece of pear on top instead of persimmon). However, I really love the flavor and color the addition of persimmon and crispy fried sage lend this elegant winter appetizers.
Step by Step Instructions for Belgian Endive Boats with Beet Pesto, Persimmons, and Crispy Sage
Gather all ingredients: Beet pesto, Belgian endive, sage, persimmon, avocado oil.
Heat the oil in a small pan (about 350°F). Fry sage leaves in batches until edges darken, about 30 seconds.
Remove the fried sage from the pan, drain on paper towels and allow to fully dry.
Cut the persimmon in half and slice into very thin wedges.
Assemble the endive boats.
Belgian Endive Boats with Beet Pesto, Persimmons and Crispy Sage
Mildly bitter Belgian endive pairs deliciously with sweet beet pesto, persimmon and crispy fried sage. A beautiful holiday appetizer that comes together quickly if you have a jar of beet pesto ready to go.
25
pieces20
minutes5
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1/2 cup beet pesto
2-3 Belgian Endive spears
1 persimmon (I like fuyu)
approximately 25 sage leaves, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup avocado oil
Directions
- Gently separate your endive spears into individual leaves, rinse, thoroughly dry and set aside. Remove the green top from the persimmon, cut the persimmon in half and slice into very thin wedges (you will have extra, which can be used for garnish or another dish). Cut to desired size once you are ready to assemble your endive boats.
- To make the crispy fried sage leaves, heat the 1/4 cup of oil in a small frying pan (you should have approximately ¼ inch of oil in the pan) to medium low heat. If you have a thermometer (such as a digital meat or candy thermometer), heat the oil to 350F. Once the oil is hot, carefully add some of the sage leaves (be careful as the oil may splatter a bit when adding the sage leaves). The oil should start sizzling as soon as you add the leaves and you do not want them to overlap, so do this in batches if needed. Fry them until they begin darkening along the edges and the oil stops sizzling; about 30 seconds. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the leaves from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining sage leaves.*
- To assemble the endive boats, add a teaspoon of beet pesto to the bottom end of each Belgian endive spear, top with a small slice of persimmon and a fried sage leaf. Enjoy!**
Notes
- *The fried sage leaves can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day.
- **Since the color of red beets tends to bleed onto other vegetables, I usually prep all the pieces for this ahead of time, but assemble it just before serving.
