Baked Belgian endive with feta can be enjoyed as a tasty side dish or a light and nutritious main course. In my opinion, this dish offers a perfect mix of flavors and textures: the crunchy and slightly bitter endive, the sweetness of honey, the slight acidity and saltiness of feta, and the crunchiness of pomegranate. It is a great vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed straight from the oven or warm.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 4 Belgian endive
- 1 orange (juice)
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
- 10 walnut halves
- 7 oz feta
- 1/2 pomegranate
- as needed chopped parsley
Steps
To prepare the Belgian endive with feta, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (convection).
Wash the Belgian endive, cut it in half lengthwise, and place it in a baking dish with the cut side facing up.
Squeeze the orange juice and place it in a small bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper, and mix well until the honey has dissolved. Distribute the orange and honey dressing over the Belgian endive using a spoon. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the walnuts and deseed the pomegranate.
After the first ten minutes of cooking, remove the endive from the oven, drizzle again with the orange and honey juice that will be at the bottom of the baking dish, then sprinkle the endive with the chopped walnuts and crumbled feta. Drizzle again with the orange and honey juice and bake for another 10 minutes, still at 375 degrees.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley, and serve your endive with feta immediately.
Suggestions
Instead of walnuts, you can also use hazelnuts. For a different flavor touch, you can add two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the orange juice with honey.
