Roasted Ontario Apple Salad with Endive, Blue Cheese and Pepitas

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Proverb

Hello, my trusty followers! Another weekend is upon us already, can you believe it?
Spring is literally around the corner and hasn't the weather been lovely? Mild temperatures, warm sunlight and the snow is practically gone. I've been doing a lot of walking this past week and have been feeling the need for lighter fare! Perfect timing for one more 'Wintry Salad' don't you think? So, once again, I wondered through the produce section yesterday searching for locally grown and stored fruits and veggies from last fall. Well, I was delighted and surprised to find a box of Belgian endive that was a product of Ontario! How exciting! Now, what to pair with it? My first thought was apples and of course, there are several varieties that were grown locally. My favourite has always been the McIntosh. Did you all know that McIntosh apples were discovered right here in Ontario?! They were found by a farmer named John McIntosh, while he was clearing out his newly acquired land in 1811. He nurtured the seedlings and named his newly found apples McIntosh Reds. How neat is that?!

 

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Roasted Ontario Apple Salad with Endive, Blue Cheese and Pepitas
(serves 4)

4 McIntosh apples (or whichever type you prefer), cut into wedges
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
2 to 3 Belgian endive, bottoms cut off, spears separated
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), or walnuts, pecans

Cider Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
sea salt
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

.preheat the oven to 400 degrees
.toss the apple slices with the oil and a pinch of salt and pep and place on a parchment lined tray
.place the tray in the oven for 10 mins, gently turn over and roast for 10 mins more, remove tray and allow to cool
.meanwhile...
.make the vinaigrette by putting the vinegar, mustard, honey and a pinch of salt into a bowl, slowly whisk in the oil, adjust seasoning, set aside
.arrange the endive spears on 4 salad plates, place the roasted apple slices on top, drizzle over the vinaigrette
.garnish with crumbled blue cheese and pepitas, enjoy!

This is a tasty and elegant salad and perfect for this time of year! If you prefer, you can rough chop the endive and toss it in with apples and vinaigrette instead of leaving the spears whole. Also, this salad can easily be made into an appetizer! Simply follow these instructions:

Stuffed Endive Appetizer:

Separate the endive spears and arrange them on a platter. Chop the roasted apples into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add in the crumbled blue cheese and 1 or 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Place a teaspoon or so onto the end of each endive spear and garnish with some the pepitas or nuts. Enjoy!

Two recipes for the low, low price of one, again! Ha! Alright my followers, have a great weekend and I will be back next week with a new culinary adventure. Bye for now!