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Endive Spears
MICHAEL ROMANO
of
Union Square Cafe
Yields 24 pieces.
Dressing:
1 large tomato
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 and a 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 and a 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cognac
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon snipped chives plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Filling:
1 and a 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup peeled and chopped celery
Kosher salt
4 to 5 large Belgian endives
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
Freshly ground black pepper
Dressing: Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Cut the tomato in half crosswise and gently squeeze the halves, cut sides down, into the strainer. Scoop out any juice and seeds remaining in the tomato, and strain these as well. You should have about 2 tablespoons of strained tomato water. Add the remaining dressing ingredients, and whisk well. Set aside.
Filling: Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the celery and cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute, until the celery is no longer raw but still crunchy. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and set aside in a bowl to cool. Peel off 24 large outer leaves, and trim the bases. Cut 2 of the endive cores crosswise into 1/4-inch slices and toss with the celery. Add crabmeat and dressing, season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and fold gently with a rubber spatula. Just before serving, mound about 1 tablespoon of the crabmeat into the cut end of each endive spear. Garnish with chives.
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