Thanksgiving with California Endive

The Thanksgiving holiday beckons! We will be prepared with (you guessed it!) a few delicious, seasonal endive dishes. The recipes featured below can serve as excellent side dishes because of their somewhat hearty attributes (potatoes, quinoa, beets) yet they also have a healthy slant for a time of year when many of us tend to over-indulge.

I wanted to share a few words my dad wrote back in 2004 on his way back from Italy after attending Slow Food's 1st Terra Madre gathering in Turin. (It was originally an attempt to convince me and my siblings of the importance of regularly gathering together at the dinner table as a family.) Since many of us might be limited to seeing some friends and family just during the holidays, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share his message about the importance of gathering around the table.

     In coming together we will honor the effort made by those who produced our food as well as confer respect to those who prepared it. We will take the time to savor and celebrate the multitude of tastes and textures of the food on our plates, knowing that many in the world are not so fortunate. We will enjoy one's company and engage in spirited yet respectful dialogue. We will seize the opportunity to share our thoughts, experiences, opinions and concerns. In doing so we will celebrate the fact that we are a unique and loving family, worthy of the commitment contained herein, thankful and blessed to have such time together.

Rich Collins, October 2004

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best,

Molly Collins

Roasted Potato, Endive and Arugula Salad

Roasted Sweet Potato, Endive and Quinoa Salad

Endive with Roasted Beets, Pears and Walnuts