The Endive Chronicles: Year 1
One year ago today, I clicked the icon to publish my first post on The Endive Chronicles. I won’t deny that it was a difficult thing to do, but I had to overcome my self-consciousness in order to do this thing I so badly wanted to do. I was brimming with ideas that notebooks could not contain and now I am sharing them as I had always wanted to, all because of that first click. A year later I am happy I did it. I have met some really wonderful people, been able to do some new things and begun to see food and life a bit differently over the last 365 days and am excited to continue on.
I have a few goals for the next 365 days, the most important of which is to draw a few more of you out of hiding in order to find out who you are and what you like to eat. I haven’t quite figured out how to do that yet, but I’m working on it. My next goal is to get out to visit more local food producers, which is something I did a lot more of before we moved back to Seattle. I seem to have gotten a bit caught up in things here, but I have big plans (some of which have already been put into motion, more soon!), on that score. In the coming days I will also be introducing several new pages to The Endive Chronicles. I will finally bid farewell to my rather cryptic About page and provide information on the equipment and ingredients I use. My last goal, the reason I created this blog, is to encourage you to cook and through it, create and strengthen our food cultures and traditions.
I would like to thank each and every one of you who have visited The Endive Chronicles throughout this past year. In celebration I have created an endive recipe to share with you. Incidentally this is the first recipe on this site that contains endive, a fact that has always given me a bit of a giggle considering. My dad is the only one who has ever asked me why.
For this anniversary post, I have combined the bitter leaves of Belgian endive and radicchio with the creamy, rich, salty and aromatic flavors of creme fraiche, white wine, parmesan and saffron. The result is something to celebrate!
Anniversary Endive Saffron Gratin
4 Heads Belgian Endive, outer leaves removed, trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces
2 Heads Radicchio, outer leaves removed, trimmed and sliced
2 TBS Unsalted Butter
1 Onion, sliced thinly
3 TBS Flour
1 cup White Wine,
3 cups Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock,
8 oz. Creme Fraiche, at room temp
1 tsp. Saffron Threads, crushed
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
Sel de Mer or other sea salt, to taste
1 cup Parmesan, grated
1 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Place the prepped endive and radicchio into a large gratin and set aside until needed.
Combine the white wine and stock in a pan and allow to simmer until needed.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat and slowly brown your onions. When the onions are brown add the flour, stirring to coat and cook for a minute or so. Add a ladle full of the stock mixture to your onions and whisk to combine. Slowly add the rest of the stock mixture a ladle at a time to the onions, whisking well to combine and avoid any lumps. Bring your mixture to a boil and allow to thicken before stirring in 1/2 of the parmesan.
Pour the sauce over the endive and radicchio. Mix the bread crumbs and parmesan together and use to top your gratin. Place the gratin in the oven and bake until brown and bubbly about 30- 45 minutes or so, depending on how accurate your oven is. Serve warm and enjoy!
Note: You can add a TBS of melted butter to the bread crumbs if you’d like, but I don’t think it needs it.
**In case you missed Friday’s post; I will be posting much more often through out the holiday season!
Happy (blog) birthday! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your site — you have a great voice and lovely recipes!
Bonne Anniversaire!
How funny that I have just finished making roasted endive soup for a dinner party tonight…. will have to raise a glass to the blog while we eat it.
Here’s to another few years as good as this one!
Erin, I know the feeling of that first click! Still, you have this fabulous place and your voice through your words is witty and warm and wonderful (www!) Good luck with it and before long… the book as well! You and Clotilde, eh?
Jen, Thank you very much! It has been lovely having your contrabution on the site.
Debbie, Thank you! Enjoy your party. I think we need to talk soup recipe.
Griffin, Aww, thank you! I hope your prediction comes true!!!!
Congrats on 1 year Erin. Well done.
Congrats, Endive Chronicles!! Here’s to a great year, and many more to come!!! Keep up the WONDERFUL work!!
Erin!! How exciting!!
Let your imagination and talent take you to the moon!
Did I ever tell you that my favorite fast recipe of all time is endive, sundried tomatoes and orecchiette pasta for dinner?
Long live the Endive Chronicles and all its exponents!
Congratulations on a wonderful first year, Erin! And here’s to many, many more.
CONGRATS!!! a great year indeed, and a reason for me to try endive
Happy Blogiversary! I’m so glad you took the plunge. I sit and read the recipes and look at the pictures and drooooool…
Happy Anniversary, Erin
One question still remains, however… which way do you pronounce “endive”?
Barbara, Angie and Angela, Thank you for your support, it is greatly appreciated.
Jen, That sounds delicious. I am imagining it with chevre and a large glass of wine.
ttfn300, You really should add endive to your repitoire, it is delicious as well as versatile.
Kim, Thanks, you two were instrumental in my decision to do this.
Leslie, Thanks lady. I pronounce the ‘e’ with an ‘e’ sound, instead of the proper pronounciation with an ‘o’ sound. I know it’s wrong, I just like the way it sounds. It’s an ‘E’ thing.
Happy anniversary Erin! I’m looking very forward to you growing your blog and can’t wait to see what you have in store for us all. And I just clicked on your new About page and I’m glad you’ve finally updated that.
Marvin, Thanks! I really hate writing resumes and the about page wasn’t much better. I’ve been agonizing over it for months.
Happy anniversary! I have been enjoying your blog for months and wish you the best to come! Keep up the great work!
Lydia, Thank you very much! I am so glad you are enjoying my blog.
Hi Erin, Congratulations on a successful first year – I always enjoy reading your entries and look forward to many more. Still haven’t succeeded in recreating that melon soup – but came up with a good Thai lemon grass one.
Carla H, Thank you so much! I haven’t either, now with the change of seasons I’ve have to file it away as a must make for next summer. mmm, I love lemongrass.
Felicidades! We love you.
Erin,
So very proud of you!!! I always knew you could do it.
Love Heidi