Cleaning endives
If you buy your endives elsewhere than in supermarkets, and in this case the best is of course from a market gardener, he or she is the one who planted and harvested them, in this case you will have endives full of earth or sand, depending on where they were grown, which is normal and reassuring, we know where they come from.
How to wash/clean them efficiently? That's what we'll see in this post.
How to wash/clean them efficiently? That's what we'll see in this post.
23 K 4.6/5 (18 reviews)
Keywords for this post:EndivesCleaningSoilSandAdviceLast modified on: March 24th 2020
Cleaning endives
When it comes to cleaning, the classic way is to cut the base, then remove the leaves from around the endive, until you have a very clean vegetable. Classic, but not great, the loss is important, especially if the endive comes from the sand, you have to remove a lot of leaves (too many), to have one ready to be used in a recipe.
Can we do better?
Yes, it is better to wash it in fact, before trimming it, but this washing should not be done like for another vegetable, by soaking them in water for example. On the contrary, on the one hand they get waterlogged if you do that, but on the other hand a small part of the sand that was on the turn will end up in the endive, and when tasted it will crunch under the tooth very unpleasantly.
No, here's the thing, in fact it's better to proceed like this: Run a trickle of warm water from the tap, and put the endive underneath one by one, with the head down, like this:
This way, the sand goes into the sink, the endive does not get waterlogged, and the peeling after drying with a cloth, will consist in removing 1 or 2 leaves from the turn, not more, or even none.
You will note that on the photographs they are red endives, with the season alas even shorter, but which are less bitter than the yellow ones, and of a superb esthetics which make it possible, inter alia, to make a little of decoration in your receipts/plates at little expenses.
One last point about the plastic endive from the supermarket, you have probably noticed that they are absolutely clean, not a grain of sand or dirt. Is it normal knowing that it comes from the earth or sand? To look like this on the shelves, you have to imagine that they must have received a shock treatment, probably not neutral, which have scoured them, or even more. In short, trust your local grower who plants locally.
To sum up: Wash your endives under a trickle of warm water, upside down, before drying them and trimming them.
Can we do better?
Yes, it is better to wash it in fact, before trimming it, but this washing should not be done like for another vegetable, by soaking them in water for example. On the contrary, on the one hand they get waterlogged if you do that, but on the other hand a small part of the sand that was on the turn will end up in the endive, and when tasted it will crunch under the tooth very unpleasantly.
No, here's the thing, in fact it's better to proceed like this: Run a trickle of warm water from the tap, and put the endive underneath one by one, with the head down, like this:
This way, the sand goes into the sink, the endive does not get waterlogged, and the peeling after drying with a cloth, will consist in removing 1 or 2 leaves from the turn, not more, or even none.
You will note that on the photographs they are red endives, with the season alas even shorter, but which are less bitter than the yellow ones, and of a superb esthetics which make it possible, inter alia, to make a little of decoration in your receipts/plates at little expenses.
One last point about the plastic endive from the supermarket, you have probably noticed that they are absolutely clean, not a grain of sand or dirt. Is it normal knowing that it comes from the earth or sand? To look like this on the shelves, you have to imagine that they must have received a shock treatment, probably not neutral, which have scoured them, or even more. In short, trust your local grower who plants locally.
To sum up: Wash your endives under a trickle of warm water, upside down, before drying them and trimming them.
Lasts posts
Should potatoes be washed twice?
Let's say you have to make a recipe that includes potatoes, let's say sliced, you'll most likely proceed as follows: Peel the potatoes, wash them, slice them, wash them again, pat them dry and add them to your recipe. But there's a "but": depending on the recipe, the second washing may be a bad...May 19th 20251,134 15
Grilled bacon is much better in the oven
Some recipes call for thin slices of bacon to be cooked and added to the recipe, or to prepare one of those delicious breakfasts known as "à l'Anglaise".April 25th 20251,5665
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...April 10th 20251,8525
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.January 27th 20253,338
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20243,7985
Other pages you may also like
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Do you like candied fruit? You might like to nibble a handful or add it to a recipe, like a classic fruit cake or delicious Italian specialities like panettone or sicilian epiphany pie.June 21th 201762 K 24.2
Steam for baking bread
What does steam have to do with bread-making? This is not only a bakers' secret, it is something you might not think of at all: if you make bread and bake it like a cake, you will end up with bread, but pale and with a thick, hard crust – a long way from the golden-brown crusty loaf you had in...June 16th 2021140 K4.5
In praise of the whetstone
Have you ever seen a butcher or a chef sharpen his knife before using it? Usually he uses a special tool, a long thin cylinder made of very hard metal. And in a smooth and elegant gesture, he very quickly passes the edge of the knife against the rifle, which makes a very characteristic noise,...June 5th 20218,3554.8
The art of the charlotte
In cooking, a charlotte is a delicious moulded dessert, with biscuits around the outside that have been soaked in a flavoured syrup, filled with a light cream or mousse. The charlotte is left to set in the fridge before being turned out and served in slices. It is very light and a lovely sweet...February 27th 201341 K4.3
How to zest a fruit?
You will have no doubt noticed that many recipes call for the zest of citrus fruit. The zest is that outer layer of the skin which adds so much flavour to a dish. There are many different ways to peel off the zest and various tools are available. Here is a summary of the “dos and don'ts” of...November 5th 201343 K3.8
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.