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.
22 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
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 20252,218
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 20242,5545
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...December 13th 20243,1195
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...November 29th 20243,2825
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...November 21th 20243,1835
Other pages you may also like
Unmoulding cakes while hot
When you make a cake, pound cake or whatever (what bakers call a "travel cake" because it's easy to carry around) you've most likely made a batter, either by hand or in a food processor, which you then pour into a buttered pan. It's a classic, and I've already talked to you about 2 or 3 tips on...February 6th 202135 K4.6
Butter doesn't make you fat, unless you eat too much of it.
Whenever I'm discussing cooking and recipes, there is one idea which comes up frequently, like this: "Oh no! But that's got butter in it" (I should add, for the sake of accuracy, that this is something I hear more frequently from women, who are almost all concerned with keeping their figure). ...March 26th 201240 K4.5
The 3 kinds of meringue
Meringue – what could be simpler? Just beaten egg whites with sugar added. This makes a fairly stiff mixture which can then be cooked in a cool oven to create those lovely, light confections. But in the world of professional patisserie, meringue comes in three different kinds. Even if the...June 14th 201359 K4.5
The return of the "Norman hole"
You maybe know the "trou normand", this old gastronomic custom typically French which consists in taking a (small) glass of calvados, generally between the last course and the dessert? It's something that seems a bit anachronistic nowadays, having a glass of an alcohol of more than 60° in the...December 18th 202110 K4.8
Sausage broth
I've already talked to you about vegetable cooking water, which becomes a precious broth after cooking that would be a shame to throw away. Now let's look at the special case of meat cooking broth, and in particular sausages, which are often poached.June 28th 20237,7195
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.