Endive Salad with Quince Purée, Caramelised Pear & Walnuts


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Endive Salad with Quince Purée, Caramelised Pear & Walnuts

Endive Salad with Quince Purée, Caramelised Pear & Walnuts
A refined winter salad combining tender sous-vide and crisp raw endive with yellow carrot, plant-based cheese, preserved lemon, toasted walnuts, caramelised pear, and pickled grapes. It’s served over a smooth quince-parsnip purée and dressed with a sharp mustard vinaigrette. Fresh pear and toasted walnuts add brightness and crunch, creating a balanced dish of sweet, tangy, and savoury flavours.

Ingredients

Endive Salad

  • 500 g sous-vide endive
  • 600 g endive
  • 150 g yellow carrot
  • 20 ml lemon juice
  • 20 ml olive oil
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • pinch of salt

Garnish

  • 20 g preserved lemon skin
  • 400 g plant-based soft white cheese
  • 250 g toasted walnuts
  • 100 g pickled white grapes
  • 400 g caramelised pear
  • 20 ml olive oil
  • pinch of salt

Quince and Parsnip Purée

  • 150 g quince
  • 150 g parsnip
  • 15 g ginger
  • 20 ml lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp goose fat
  • 30 ml olive oil
  • Splash of water if needed
  • pinch of salt

Mustard Vinaigrette

  • 40 g dijon mustard
  • 50 ml lemon juice
  • 50 ml olive oil
  • 50 ml white balsamic vinegar
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of pepper

Acidulated White Grapes

  • 50 g white grapes
  • 30 ml white balsamic vinegar

Finishing

  • 100 g sliced pear
  • 100 g walnut kernels

Instructions

Endive Salad

  • Cut the Sous vide Endive in half lengthwise and place them in a vacuum bag with salt, olive oil, and lemon juice.
  • Cook in a steam oven at 83C for approx. 40 minutes.
  • Once cooked, remove the core.
  • When ready to use, drain well and slice into 2.5 cm thick rounds.
  • Cut the raw endive in half and trim to the same size as the cooked pieces.
  • Slice the yellow carrot finely into julienne strips using a mandoline.
  • Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan and cook slowly until slightly tender but still crunchy.
  • Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • For the garnish, slice the preserved lemon skin thinly and keep aside.
  • Cut the plant-based cheese into 2 cm cubes.
  • Slice the toasted walnuts into pieces of about 2 cm.
  • Cut the pear into wedges, remove the core, and caramelise the surface well in a pan.
  • If the inside is still too firm, finish cooking briefly in the oven.

Quince and Parsnip Purée

  • Peel and thinly slice the parsnip and quince.
  • Heat goose fat in a pan, add the parsnip and quince, and cook slowly until tender.
  • Add grated ginger and deglaze with lemon juice.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • If the purée is too thick, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
  • Season with salt.

Mustard Vinaigrette

  • In a bowl, combine Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar.
  • Whisk until emulsified, then season with salt and pepper.

Acidulated White Grapes

  • Cut the white grapes in half and marinate them in white balsamic vinegar.

Finishing

  • Slice the pear thinly into a fan shape.
  • Add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
  • Toast the walnuts in a 150 C oven for about 15 minutes, then let cool.

Plating

  • Spread a small amount of purée on the bottom of the plate.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the raw and sous vide endive slices, the julienned yellow carrot, plant-based cheese, and all the garnishes.
  • Season and coat lightly with the mustard vinaigrette.
  • Arrange the mixture neatly on top of the purée.
  • Garnish with the pear slices and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.
  • Finish with a light grind of black pepper.

Notes

Recipe by: Natural Chef Graduate Siham Jubaili